A landlord has been jailed after a 19-year-old girl living at one of his properties in Norwich was burned so badly in a fire at the flat that her chance of surviving was less than one per cent.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that landlord Michael Billings had failed to fit a working fire alarm system, install the correct number of fire doors – or even provide adequate means of escape. The gas appliances in the flats above the shop had not been serviced or properly inspected, the HSE found.

The property in Magdalen Street, Norwich – above a mobile phone shop – became ‘a raging inferno’ in April 2009. Fire crews rescued a woman living on the second floor as she prepared to jump for her life. Other tenants climbed down a drain pipe to escape.

Tenant Layla Skalli, now 20, was so badly burned in the fire that she suffered deep tissue burns to 80 per cent of her body – and almost all the skin below her neck was destroyed by the intense 600-degree heat. Her life was only saved by surgeons carrying out pioneering deep tissue skin grafts.

When fire broke out in the early hours, temperatures in Ms Skalli’s flat above the shop soared rapidly and her screams could be heard by neighbours. She was unable to escape because her sash window could only be opened by four inches and the staircase was blocked by thick black smoke.

Firefighters used their ladder as a battering ram to smash the window and climb into the flat, where Ms Skalli was found lying unconscious on the floor with her hands covering her face – the only part of her not burned by the intense heat. 

The firefighter who carried Ms Skalli down the ladder described her body as being so hot his arms were beginning to burn through his tunic.

Police and fire service investigators were called to the scene and Ms Skalli’s injuries were so severe it seemed unlikely she would survive.

The incident was treated as a potential manslaughter case and the multi-agency investigation involved Norfolk Police, the HSE, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service and Norwich City Council. The cause of the blaze has never been determined conclusively.

On Friday (07/05/10) at Norwich Crown Court, Michael Billings – of Ashman’s Hall, Barsham, Beccles in Suffolk – faced charges brought by the HSE and Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, including four counts of breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; and one count of breaching Regulation 36(3)a) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

The first four counts related to four properties he owned that were affected by the fire. He was charged by Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service with nine counts of breaching Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Orders 2005.

Judge Paul Downes sentenced Mr Billings to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment and ordered him to pay £20,000 in costs.

Judge Downes said he would review the sentence if Mr Billings paid Ms Skalli £20,000 as a show of remorse. The judge also ordered that a £400 award be paid out of the public purse to Dominic Gale, the passer-by who raised the alarm after spotting the fire.

After the hearing, Ms Skalli’s brother Andrew said the family wanted to remind every landlord that they had ‘a legal and moral obligation to the safety of their tenants’.

‘The actions of Michael Billings have ruined my sister's life,’ said Mr Skalli. ‘But no amount of time in prison could make up for the pain he has caused my sister and my family.

‘Despite this, we remain grateful to the people who made this prosecution possible and hope it helps save other lives,’ added Mr Skalli.

HSE inspector John Claxton said the incident was the most distressing case he had worked on in 31 years as a HSE inspector.

‘Michael Billings failed in his basic duties as a landlord and those failures nearly cost the life of a young woman. When fire broke out there was very little Layla could do – either to fight the fire or escape its flames. This was as a direct result of Michael Billings’ failure to act as a responsible landlord.

‘Landlords have duties under law to maintain their properties and ensure they are safe places for their tenants to live. Michael Billings ignored these duties,’ he added.

‘As it is, Layla Skalli has been left with both physical and emotional scars that will never completely heal. A year on she requires pain relief and will she will need further surgery in the future.’

Group Manager at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, Richard Herrell, said:

‘This is the first time the fire and rescue service in Norfolk has worked on a joint operation of this kind with the Health and Safety Executive, Norfolk Constabulary and Norwich City Council. This partnership approach proved to be a hugely effective in what was a complex and difficult case.

‘This case has never been about interfering public bodies checking up on people for the sake of it,’ said Mr Herrell. ‘It’s been about ensuring all properties where people live are safe. '

Both John Claxton for the HSE and Mr Herrell paid tribute to the courage and bravery of Ms Skalli in the fight to overcome her injuries.

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