An Indian takeaway has been ordered to pay more than £23,000 after fire inspectors found lives were at risk because the premises had no smoke alarms.

Masala Gate in Northgate, Canterbury was taken to court by the fire service after an inspection in June 2021 discovered numerous failings.

The business, which trades as Canterbury Masala Ltd and owned by Nahar Islam, pleaded guilty to four safety breaches which could put one or more persons at risk of serious injury – or death – if the building was to go up in flames.

As well as finding no automatic fire detectors, inspectors discovered the emergency exits were not up to standard and there was no fire detection and warning system in place.

The shop was also found to have an insufficient fire risk assessment and was charged with two counts relating to inadequate emergency exit routes – which included doors not being made of fire resistant materials or fitted with a self-closing mechanism and not having proper emergency lighting.

The takeaway was fined £4,000 and told to pay £19,293 in costs and a victim surcharge of £190 at a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Head of building safety at Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Suzanna Chisholm, said: “If you’re responsible for a business, you have a legal duty to ensure it is safe for anyone who works or visits the premises. No-one is exempt.

“We will always offer support and advice to any business that needs our help but if you fail to comply with fire safety regulations and put people’s lives at risk, then we will prosecute when necessary.

“We hope the sentence issued to Canterbury Masala Ltd will remind other businesses across Kent and Medway to ensure they are consistently fire compliant to avoid prosecution and most importantly, to keep everyone safe.”