The fire alarm panel had previously been switched to 'silent', meaning warning sounders did not work when the blaze broke out. As a result guests received no early warning that a fire was burning in the corridor immediately outside their rooms.

Staff did not receive adequate fire safety training, fire alarms weren't being tested correctly, fire doors were wedged open and there was no suitable emergency plan in case a fire did break out.

Mill House Inns Trading Ltd, owners of the hotel at the time, pleaded guilty to five separate charges and on each account was fined the maximum sum allowed by Worthing Magistrates. In addition to the fines, they also had to pay costs of £11,071.

Magistrates praised the actions of the Fire Service on the night of the fire but said company procedures for managing fire safety at the hotel showed a total disregard for the safety of guests. They added it was fortunate that none of the nineteen guests or four staff had been killed or seriously injured.

West Sussex County Council Fire & Rescue Service said the Magistrate's judgement should send a clear warning to other businesses that putting people's lives at risk through inadequate fire safety procedures would not be tolerated.

'Hotels have a responsibility to make sure their guests are safe', said Director of Community Protection Trevor Pilcher.

'This hotel had the right physical precautions in place like smoke detectors, self-closing fire doors, emergency lighting and fire extinguishers but all that becomes ineffective if the management of the fire precautions isn't good enough.

'Consequently when the fire started, the guests were trapped in their rooms by the smoke and several of them dialled 999 on their mobile phones. They were given fire survival guidance by our Command & Mobilising Centre and when the fire crews arrived they found people leaning out of windows, but it shouldn't have got to that situation if the fire safety procedures were managed properly.'

Every business now has to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which includes the requirement for a fire risk assessment. For further information businesses are advised to contact their local Fire Service or check information on websites like www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire or www.fire.gov.uk

'Our firefighters want to work with businesses, not prosecute them,' said Peter Evans, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection.

'However in serious breaches like this one involving The White Swan hotel, then businesses will end up in Court if they fail their legal duties.'

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service would like to point out the hotel has changed ownership since the fire, and has recently been refurbished.

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