Blaze-hit hotel was a 'death trap', court told

A "death trap" hotel put lives at risk with a "catalogue of failures" and by ignoring fire safety rules, a court has heard.

A fire ripped through the Connaught Hotel in Wolverhampton in October 2007 after which investigators discovered widespread problems including the fire alarm not working, no smoke alarms or detectors in rooms, fire exits blocked and one fire door without a handle.

Fire blankets were missing and a fire exit route was blocked by a wardrobe and computer monitor, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.

In one room the fire alarm had been covered with a plastic bag and taped.

A jury trial over the alleged failures at the Tettenhall Road venue began yesterday. Connaught Hotel West Midlands Ltd has denied 12 counts of fire safety breaches.

The 87-bedroom hotel became part of the Best Western chain in 2008 but is now independently owned.

The previous owners, West Midlands Ltd, did not attend court and judge Martin Walsh ruled the case could go ahead in their absence.

Mr Mark Jackson, prosecuting, told the jury the fire broke out in the early hours of October 12 at a building next to the main hotel, which had 11 bedrooms over four storeys. Mr Jackson said but many of those sleeping only knew something was wrong "when they heard people screaming and banging on doors to get out".

He told the jury the failures "turned the hotel into a death trap".

He added: "The fact no one died or was seriously injured in the fire was good fortune. All of the people staying there were at risk from this catalogue of failures and fire safety breaches. The photographs taken by the fire service speak for themselves."

The jury was also shown a risk assessment for the building, which Mr Jackson said was a fake. He said: "It wasn't worth the paper it was written on."

The trial continues.