Fire Investigation Case Study - Maysfield Leisure Centre

[thebuildinginspector]

Hi all

I'm carrying out a piece of research at the moment and I'm trying to get hold of a copy of the investigation into the Maysfield Leisure Centre fire in Belfast in 1984.  I've tried the normal avenues of googling, technical indexes, even searching bre for any of their research and also university resources, but I keep drawing a blank.

Any clues on where to look or can anyone give me a synopsis of the events?

Cheers

[John Webb]

The Fire Research Station produced a report on "The ignition and burning characteristics of mats and other gymnastic items" following the Maysfield fire - I don't think this was given public publication but was probably delivered direct to the Inquiry. If BRE Ltd no longer have a copy then the National Archives may have a copy; possibly also the Sports Council? (I was starting work on fire-fighting foams at that time and wasn't directly involved, so there is little I can tell you.)
The Inquiry Report should be available, although the detail in that will be less than in the FRS report, but it would give the wider picture of the fire as a whole.

[nearlythere]

I had read it when it was published all those years ago. Even has a copy in the filing cabinet. Always meant to try and get another copy. Doing so now.

[Tom Sutton]

Check out http://fire.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4561.0 and http://www.cookeonfire.com/pdfs/Maysfield%20leisure%20incomplete.pdf may be worth a look.

[AnthonyB]

It might be at the British Library, I got a Copy of the Stardust Disco Fire Inquiry that way (but it isn't always cheap!)

[thebuildinginspector]

Thanks for the tips - much appreciated.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a book outlining fire case studies across a wide range of purpose groups?  I've found a great one called "Blaze" by a chap called Nicholas Faith, but any other suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers

[AnthonyB]

I think such a book is yet to be written.

If I won the lottery I'd do it myself from the archive I've assembled, although to be honest each major case could fill a book in itself (look at the Summerland book for example)

[thebuildinginspector]

Cheers Anthony, I've built up a bit of library too - it seems to be ever increasing

I'll keep an eye out for your tome on Amazon one day 

[colin todd]

If you have specific questions on Maysfield, I can probably answer them. Let me know what you need to know.

[wee brian]

fire safety in buildings by Bill Malhotra (BRE - 1985 ish) is quite good, not so much specific incidents but it gives some useful background and history on where a lot of UK rules and regs came from

[John Webb]

fire safety in buildings by Bill Malhotra (BRE - 1985 ish) is quite good, not so much specific incidents but it gives some useful background and history on where a lot of UK rules and regs came from

It was published in 1986 (H L Malhotra, by the way, if anyone is searching for it). "Aspects of Fire Precautions in Buildings" by Read and Morris (revised 1993, BRE 137) is also a good general read with background to legislation etc., looking more at the passive side of things including means of escape.