Church sues hostel for £1m over blaze damage

A church badly damaged by fire has launched a £1 million legal battle against a hostel where the blaze broke out.

The roof of the 100-year-old Shepherd's Bush Tabernacle was nearly destroyed when a resident in the adjoining hostel for vulnerable adults allegedly repeatedly silenced an alarm as the blaze spread.

The evangelical group of Christians which owns the church, The Great Commission Ministry, has lodged a writ at the High Court claiming that the Carr Gomm Society charity sublet bedrooms in the hostel to people who had a history of substance abuse, mental health issues and self-harming.

The fire started in the bedroom of resident Jennifer Morrow early on July 29, 2008. The writ states that another resident quickly silenced the alarm when it went off at 6.40am. Minutes later three further smoke detectors sounded the alarm again. The writ states that within 15 minutes the same resident had tried five times to shut off the alarm, only stopping when he was told a blaze had actually broken out.

Morrow, 36, pleaded guilty at Blackfriars crown court to arson and sentenced to a two-year supervision order and alcohol treatment programme after being remanded in custody for 159 days.

The church claims the charity was negligent as it failed to make sure that the alarm system was secure. The Carr Gomm Society said it was not able to comment.