Runcorn in Focus: Fire Safety and Compliance
Runcorn sits on the southern bank of the River Mersey in the Borough of Halton, connected to Widnes by the Silver Jubilee Bridge and the Mersey Gateway. The town's character has been shaped by more than two centuries of industrial activity — soap and chemical manufacturing established in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries gave way to a broader petrochemical and industrial base, much of which persists today in the concentration of chemical, manufacturing and logistics operations along the Mersey estuary and around Runcorn Docks. The town was designated a new town in 1964 and expanded substantially eastward, creating the residential neighbourhoods of Halton Lea, Murdishaw, Castlefields and Runcorn Hill alongside the older town centre and riverside industrial areas.
That combination — a significant chemical and industrial corridor alongside substantial residential areas — defines Runcorn's fire risk environment. Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service's own profile of Halton records it as an area with above-average rates of chemical incident call-outs relative to the rest of the county, reflecting the density of industrial operations and the nature of the materials handled and stored on site. For those who own, manage or occupy non-domestic premises in Runcorn, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places a direct legal duty to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and to keep it under regular review — a duty which, in premises involving hazardous substances, carries additional requirements under separate legislation including the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.
Two incidents on Percival Lane in April 2022, occurring just over a week apart on the same industrial road running through Runcorn Docks, illustrate the scale of fire risk that the town's industrial environment presents — and the operational complexity involved when it materialises.
Pallet Yard Fire, Percival Lane — April 2022
At approximately 1:30pm on Thursday 21 April 2022, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire near a pallet yard on Percival Lane, Runcorn, where wooden and plastic pallets had caught fire. The fire covered an area of approximately 60 square metres and grew rapidly, with smoke visible as far away as Frodsham. At the height of the incident, more than 50 firefighters were tackling the blaze, with specialist appliances deployed including an aerial ladder platform, the Scorpion High Reach Extending Turret from Macclesfield, and a high volume pump. Police and ambulance services also attended.
The fire spread to an adjoining building, and businesses in the immediate area were evacuated by the fire service. Crews remained overnight and were still dampening down and using a digger to turn over materials to expose hotspots the following morning. No cause was publicly confirmed by the fire service following the incident.
The cause was not established publicly, so it would not be accurate to state why this fire started. What is documented is the material involved — mixed wooden and plastic pallets stored in quantity on an outdoor yard — and the consequence: rapid flame spread across a 60 square metre area, smoke visible for several miles, spread to an adjoining building, and a multi-appliance response that lasted through the night. In similar pallet and external storage fires, the established pattern is one of fast lateral spread across stacked combustible material, with plastic pallets generating significantly higher heat output and more toxic smoke than wooden ones, and the fire load of a large pallet yard being sufficient to overwhelm initial suppression attempts and extend into adjoining structures if compartmentation between the yard and adjacent buildings is inadequate.
Footage of a large fire in Runcorn attended by Runcorn Fire Station crews. Video: Runcorn Fire Station.
What responsible persons at premises with external storage should take from this: External storage of combustible materials — pallets, packaging, waste, stock — is one of the most common contributors to major commercial fires, and one of the most consistently underestimated in fire risk assessments. The cause of the Percival Lane fire was not confirmed, but the pattern of progression reflects what fire safety guidance consistently identifies as the risk: large quantities of combustible material stored in close proximity to a building, with limited separation between the yard and adjoining premises. A fire risk assessment for any premises with external storage must address the quantity and type of material stored, the distance between stored material and the building fabric, whether neighbouring premises could be affected by a fire in the yard, and whether the site's access arrangements would permit effective emergency service intervention.
Chemical Silo Fire, Percival Lane — April 2022
Eight days after the pallet yard fire, on Friday 29 April 2022, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire involving a chemical storage silo on Percival Lane, Runcorn, at 7:44pm. Six appliances from Warrington, Lymm, Chester, Northwich and Tarporley attended. On arrival, crews found that flames had broken out in a roof space where maintenance had been carried out. The silo was emitting hydrogen sulphide gas from the smouldering seat of the fire — a hazardous gas, toxic at relatively low concentrations and detectable by its distinctive odour, which required the deployment of a hazardous materials specialist to advise on the firefighting operation.
Crews wearing specialist protective equipment used the site's own suppression system to douse the flames, supplemented by gas monitors deployed around the perimeter. By 10:45pm the response had been scaled back to three appliances, but crews remained on site through the night and into Saturday. Monitoring continued through Sunday, with gas levels described as having reduced to "little to no release" by Saturday morning and to zero by Sunday, though low readings were still recorded near the vent on Monday. Crews returned for monitoring on Monday and again on Tuesday, when levels were confirmed at zero. A spokesperson for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed on Tuesday that no cause had yet been established.
Footage of a large fire in Runcorn attended by Runcorn Fire Station crews. Video: Runcorn Fire Station.
What responsible persons at premises handling hazardous substances should take from this: The silo fire on Percival Lane illustrates a risk that is specific to premises where hazardous substances are present: that a fire, even one apparently contained to a maintenance area or roof space, can trigger secondary hazards — in this case hydrogen sulphide gas emission — that require a fundamentally different firefighting approach and a multi-day monitoring commitment. The cause was not publicly established. What is confirmed is that maintenance work had been carried out in the area where the fire broke out, which is consistent with a well-documented pattern in industrial fires where hot work, electrical work or other maintenance activities in proximity to hazardous materials create ignition risks that routine operations do not. For responsible persons at any premises handling flammable, toxic or reactive substances, the fire risk assessment must specifically address the management of maintenance activities as an ignition risk, the behaviour of the substances on site in a fire scenario, and whether the site's emergency arrangements — including liaison with the local fire service — reflect the actual hazard profile of the premises.
Fire Safety Duties for Responsible Persons in Runcorn
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, any person who has control of non-domestic premises — or has a degree of control over any part of them — carries legal duties in relation to fire safety. In Runcorn, that encompasses a wide range of occupiers: chemical and manufacturing operators along the Mersey corridor, logistics and warehousing businesses across the town's employment areas, retail and hospitality premises in the town centre and at Runcorn Shopping City, managing agents and landlords responsible for commercial and residential buildings, and operators of community, educational and healthcare facilities across the borough.
A fire risk assessment is the foundation of that compliance. It must identify the fire hazards present, evaluate the risk to occupants and others who may be affected, and record the significant findings along with any remedial action required. Where five or more people are employed, or where the premises are subject to a licence, the assessment must be in writing. It must be reviewed whenever there is reason to believe it is no longer valid — following a significant change to the premises, a change of use, or where a fire or near-miss has occurred.
For premises handling or storing hazardous substances, the fire risk assessment sits alongside obligations under DSEAR and, where applicable, COMAH. These are not separate exercises — the fire risk assessment must be consistent with and informed by the hazardous substances assessment, addressing how those substances behave in a fire, what suppression methods are appropriate, and what the consequences of a fire involving those materials could be for occupants, neighbouring premises and the surrounding environment.
Premises with multiple occupiers or those accessible to the public should hold a documented fire safety policy and a written fire evacuation plan, covering all foreseeable scenarios including provision for any occupants who may not be able to self-evacuate. Where that is the case, evacuation chair training for relevant staff is an increasingly expected part of a complete fire safety provision. Regular fire door inspections are essential where fire doors form part of the compartmentation strategy, and fire safety training should be provided to all staff on induction and refreshed regularly.
Fire Safety Support for Runcorn and Halton
Fletcher Risk Management provides fire risk assessments in Runcorn and across Cheshire and Merseyside, alongside fire door inspections, fire safety training, evacuation plans, fire safety policies and evacuation chair training. Whether you manage an industrial or chemical processing premises, a commercial or retail unit, or a residential building with common areas, we can advise on your obligations and help you meet them.
If you are a managing agent or property manager responsible for the common parts of a building, our dedicated service for managing agents sets out how we work and what that process involves.
Fire safety support across the North West and North Wales
Fletcher Risk Management provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections and fire safety training for responsible persons across Chester, Cheshire, the Wirral, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, North Wales and beyond. To discuss your requirements, please get in touch.
This article is intended for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Responsible persons should seek professional advice tailored to their specific premises and circumstances. Fletcher Risk Management Ltd provides fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training across the North West and North Wales.