Recipient

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

First report 22 Nov 2024•Latest report 22 Nov 2024

Recipient record

Reports, concerns and published responses

Local government · Fire and rescue service. This page brings together reports naming this recipient and response statements clearly connected to concerns raised in those reports.

Reports: 1
Published responses: 100%
Concerns addressed: 2
Stated actions: 2

Reports over time

Reports naming this recipient by issue year.

Evidence profile

Report topics

Share of this recipient’s reports compared with all other recipients.

100%published responses found

2stated actions described

Topic comparisons are not available in the current evidence snapshot.

Concerns and recipient responses

Statements from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service linked to the concerns in each report. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

22 Nov2024
Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
Concerns raised2
1. Failure to preserve fire scenes until all instructed investigations are completed
2. Insufficient mandated fire protection for fires starting in individual rooms in rented accommodation
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response 2
1. Action
  Support Welsh Government proposals to enhance fire-alarm coverage in domestic dwellings.
  Stated planned
2. Action
  Raise the case for increasing smoke-alarm coverage with the All Wales Community Risk Reduction Committee.
  Stated completed
Respondent positions 2
1. Position
  Welsh Government must undertake legislative or Building Regulations changes needed to enhance domestic fire alarm coverage.
  Redirects responsibility
1. Position
  Police retain responsibility for scene management and decisions to remove or seize items in fatality or suspected-criminality fire investigations.
  Redirects responsibility
AI-generated summary

Muhammad Esmael and Naemat Esmael · Prevention of Future Deaths report

This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

Report summary

On 1 July 2023, a fire started in an upstairs bedroom of a Council-leased property while three-year-old Muhammad Esmael was inside; Muhammad and his father, Naemat Esmael, died in the fire. The concerns included that the two working smoke alarms were not activated by the fire because it was contained in a closed bedroom, and that bedroom items were removed before all investigations were completed, potentially preventing the cause of the fire from being determined.

Read the report on judiciary.uk
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Failure to preserve fire scenes until all instructed investigations are completed
Wider context from the report
“I heard that certain items within the bedroom where the fire started, including a console unit and electrical items, were removed before they could be fully inspected in situ by the Chartered Electrical Engineer instructed to investigate the cause of the fire. I am told that the items were removed by the Crime Scene Investigators from South Wales Police in circumstances where the Fire Service had exercised its powers under section 45 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 and had commenced an investigation which was aimed at determining the point of origin, cause and behaviour of the fire at ████████. The Chartered Electrical Engineer expert told me that he was unable to provide me with any assistance on the cause of the fire because the items had been removed from the scene and because he had only been able to view photographs. It was this Expert’s opinion that it would have been preferable if the items had remained in position at the property to enable him to inspect them in situ. I am concerned that items were removed from the scene before all inspections were completed and that this may have prevented me and indeed the Fire Service investigators from determining the cause of this fire. I am concerned either that there may not be a sufficiently robust protocol in place between South Wales Police and the Fire Service on preserving a scene to ensure a full investigation takes place and / or that if there is such a protocol it may not have been followed in this instance. If coroners and investigators are unable to determine the cause of a fire because the scene has not been preserved for as long as required to ensure a full in situ investigation by all instructed investigators, then this prevents lessons from being learnt about the cause of a fire which in turn means there is a continuing risk to life. ”
Open source report
Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation
Insufficient mandated fire protection for fires starting in individual rooms in rented accommodation
Wider context from the report
“I heard evidence during the inquest that two working smoke alarms were not activated by this fire which occurred in a residential Council owned property and which led to the deaths of two individuals. I heard that this may have happened because the fire was contained in a bedroom with the door closed. I heard evidence that Welsh Government legislation (Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 implemented by The Renting Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Wales Regulations 2022) only requires rented properties to be, inter alia, fitted with two hard wired smoke alarms and that separately, sprinkler systems are only mandated in new build properties or properties undergoing alterations (Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011). I heard that smoke alarms in hallways only safeguard communal areas and the means of escape in a fire and that they do not provide adequate protection to mitigate against the risk to life from fires which start in individual rooms, including bedrooms. I heard that sprinkler systems are expensive for Councils and landlords to fit but that they are very successful in controlling fires and reducing fatalities from fires in properties. I also heard that hard wired smoke alarms are less expensive to fit but would still be beyond the budget of a local Council with a significant property portfolio, which is the case here. I heard that smoke alarms provide the best protection against the risk to life posed by fire in domestic and other properties. I am concerned that only mandating two smoke alarms in rented accommodation means that there is a continuing risk to life from fire in such accommodation. ”
Open source report
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Support Welsh Government proposals to enhance fire-alarm coverage in domestic dwellings.

Verbatim wording from the response
“Action Proposed: Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service will support any proposals for legislative enhancement by the Welsh Government in regard of fire alarm coverage in domestic dwellings.”

Source location
Response from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Page 1 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Raise the case for increasing smoke-alarm coverage with the All Wales Community Risk Reduction Committee.

Verbatim wording from the response
“With regard to the first MATTER OF CONCERN. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service support the notion that only mandating two smoke alarms in [domestic] accommodation means that there is a continuing risk to life from fire. The Service has previously raised this matter with the Welsh Government via the All Wales Community Risk Reduction Committee, where the Service proposed increasing smoke alarm coverage to the highest standard in all new build premises in Wales and would equally support this enhancement of provision in rented accommodation. This will require a change to existing legislation and/or Building Regulations guidance which can only be undertaken by the Welsh Government.”

Source location
Response from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Page 1 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Welsh Government must undertake legislative or Building Regulations changes needed to enhance domestic fire alarm coverage.

Verbatim wording from the response
“With regard to the first MATTER OF CONCERN. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service support the notion that only mandating two smoke alarms in [domestic] accommodation means that there is a continuing risk to life from fire. The Service has previously raised this matter with the Welsh Government via the All Wales Community Risk Reduction Committee, where the Service proposed increasing smoke alarm coverage to the highest standard in all new build premises in Wales and would equally support this enhancement of provision in rented accommodation. This will require a change to existing legislation and/or Building Regulations guidance which can only be undertaken by the Welsh Government.”

Source location
Response from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Page 1 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response
Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation
Police retain responsibility for scene management and decisions to remove or seize items in fatality or suspected-criminality fire investigations.

Verbatim wording from the response
“With regard to the second MATTER OF CONCERN. In fire cases involving fatalities or suspected criminality, the Police are the lead agency with primacy over the investigation. For incidents within its area, Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service will often support the Police with their investigation alongside Crime Scene Investigators and forensic scientists commissioned by the Police, as in this case. A decision to remove items for laboratory testing is undertaken by the Senior Police Officer and any evidence subsequently seized is done under the authority offered by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE).”

Source location
Response from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
Page 2 · response
Published 26 November 2024
Open published response

Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026

Reports, concerns and published responses

Reports over time

Concerns raised2

Failure to preserve fire scenes until all instructed investigations are completed

Insufficient mandated fire protection for fires starting in individual rooms in rented accommodation

Actions described in response An action is something this recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2

Respondent positions A position is what this recipient says about the concern when it does not describe a specific action.2

Actions described in response 2

Respondent positions 2