A building management company has been fined £15,500 for breaching fire regulations at flats.

The fire service raised its concerns about the six-storey building at 3-4 Castle Drive in Douglas after attending the scene when a fire alarm went off.

The building, a former boarding house which was turned into tenant flats in 1990, was undergoing construction works at the time.

An external exit was boarded off, escape stairs were obstructed by scaffolding and eight fire doors were found to be in a poor state of repair.

There was also no fire compartmentation between floors, meaning that fire could have spread rapidly between them.

In addition, fire extinguishers, a fire alarm system and an emergency lighting system were not maintained. And combustible materials were stored in the basement.

Atholville Management Limited, of 3-4 Castle Drive, Douglas, was represented in court by director George Graham Christopher Shaw.

On behalf of the company, he admitted nine counts of breaching fire precaution regulations.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the court that a fire engine was dispatched from Douglas fire station to the address on August 27 at 10.15pm.

The attending fire officer had concerns about breaches and an inspection of the building was carried out the following day, which found the long list of issues.

Due to the number of breaches and their serious nature a prohibition notice was issued, requesting all occupants of the building to vacate the premises.

Mr Swain said the prohibition notice had been lifted a week after work was done on the building, which is still ongoing.

The prosecutor said: ’They were technical breaches rather than deliberate. It was a construction site but it’s fair to say they have taken their eye off the ball.’

Defence advocate Andrew Baker said that Mr Shaw managed five other properties in Douglas.

Mr Baker said the Castle Drive property had been owned by Dolphin Investments for 20 years, a family business which included Mr Shaw. The advocate said the area needed a lot of regeneration and they had sold some of the flats and set up the management company, Atholville Management Limited.

’For 20 years Mr Shaw has complied with regulations,’ said Mr Baker.

’The property in question was being developed.

’There has been significant work.

’The issue has been that all current tenants had been moved out but new tenants had been allowed to move in.

’Mr Shaw has been project manager. He was away at the time of the inspection but that is not an excuse.

’The company accepts they are responsible.’

Magistrates fined the company £6,500 for the fire compartmentation issue, £4,500 for the escape stairs obstructed by scaffolding, and £4,500 for the boarded exit.

No separate penalty was made for the other breaches.

The company was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.