Fire safety findings carry no legal weight once building is approved, MP told

Local firepropertiessafetyTop News Fire safety findings carry no legal weight once building is approved, MP told Polikatikies Relevant News Animal Party plans Wednesday protest as ALMA reveals earlier bid to target activists 14 September 2026 Fire safety findings carry no legal weight once building is approved, MP told 14 September 2026 Christodoulides delays 2028 decision as DISY, AKEL finish internal races 14 September 2026 Vassos Vassiliou 14 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber For the second time in a few weeks, House Interior Committee chairman Aristos Damianou has raised concerns over fire safety inspections of buildings used by large numbers of people. A Fire Service representative told parliament that any inspection carried out after a building receives its final approval certificate carries no legal weight. The representative added that this means any findings or recommendations the Service makes do not have to result in action being taken or sanctions imposed. The issue draws little attention, but there have been cases where emergency exits were closed off or blocked after a Fire Service inspection, or where premises were allowed to admit far more people than they could safely hold. Combined with the risk that any accident could trigger panic, this could eventually lead to tragic outcomes. Raising the issue at the committee, Damianou said: “There are buildings which are ‘screaming,’ if we can use that term, that they have fire safety issues and so on. Why does the state turn a blind eye to this picture?” The Fire Service representative responded: “The competent Authority, in most cases, asks for the Fire Service’s views if it wants to. We make our views known on fire protection matters, either by granting a certificate of suitability or by refusing one. It is then up to the competent Authority to allow a premises to operate.” Damianou went further, raising a specific concern: “If there’s a premises where people gather and there are blatant safety issues, couldn’t that be grounds for evacuation, for example, if the Fire Service judges something is wrong? I’m also referring to some opportunists who rent out slum housing where people die, and I wonder whether they could be closed down citing fire safety reasons.” Inspection of shared buildings only follows a complaint The problem is not limited to entertainment venues or youth hangouts: it applies to almost all co-owned buildings. Christoforos Stylianou, the Fire Service’s Director of Operations and Support and the officer responsible for fire safety, told Phileleftheros that under current legislation the Fire Service can carry out inspections of shared buildings, but complaints about specific issues, such as stairwell escape routes, are typically what triggers these checks. He said the Fire Service usually carries out inspections on its own initiative only at entertainment venues and factories. He explained that under the current framework, the last time the Fire Service checks safety measures in a shared building is when its final approval certificate is issued; the law does not provide for any inspection beyond that point. “The question is who will check the fire safety of any building after ten to fifteen years, given the development seen in recent years, which appears to be continuing,” he said. Stylianou said he found it encouraging that draft legislation on co-owned buildings, currently before parliament, would require management committees to obtain certificates every three years confirming their fire protection and firefighting systems are working effectively. He said that once the legislation takes effect, the Fire Service would carry out sample inspections together with other relevant services, and any building found to have serious problems could be declared dangerous. Once the pending legislation is approved, a two-year transitional period will follow to allow all the necessary preparations to be made. Until then, Stylianou said, the situation remains difficult and the risk of fire-related accidents will be higher. More broadly, the Fire Service’s role is critical at the initial inspection stage, before a building opens, when it checks whether construction matches approved fire protection plans. Among other things, it examines emergency escape routes, including stairwells, corridors and emergency exits, to ensure they are free of obstructions and large enough to let occupants leave safely. It also tests fire detection systems, checking smoke and heat sensors and the central control panel to confirm they work and can alert occupants, and inspects firefighting equipment such as extinguishers and fire hose reels where required. Emergency lighting, illuminated signage and sprinkler systems are also checked, along with access for fire engines. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Animal Party plans Wednesday protest as ALMA reveals earlier bid to target activists Christodoulides delays 2028 decision as DISY, AKEL finish internal races Famagusta slashes water losses from 47.2% to 34% Parliament debate on curbing anti-poaching activists divides MPs Erosion leaves Oroklini promenade collapsing near hotels Mainly clear Monday, 37 degree peak Boat carrying migrants partially sinks in Greece, 25 missing Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.