Fire safety worries over student alarm

Students in a Dundee halls of residence are suffering sleepless nights due to a faulty fire alarm. Residents at The Hub in Hawkhill say they have been forced to go to bathrooms and communal kitchens to get away from the noise of the alarm, which has resulted in a series of call-outs for fire crews in recent days.

One mum whose daughter has been affected by the persistent din says she is worried about the safety in the block since students have got so used to the alarm going off there is a danger they will try to turn over and sleep through a genuine emergency.

The most recent call-outs were at the weekend when the fire service had to attend on Saturday and Sunday.

A spokesman for CRM Students, which runs the accommodation centre, said Saturday’s fault was down to the security firm it pays to maintain the alarm.

He would not name the firm but said: “The company failed to respond when the alarm went off so the fire service had to attend.

“We have since had a meeting with the company and they have admitted it was their fault and promised nothing like this will happen again. The fire service are satisfied.

“The alarm was going off for a few hours on Saturday night.”

He said other call-outs were more likely due to genuine false alarms, such as toasters triggering smoke alarms in the block which houses 500 students.

He added: “We have rigid health and safety systems in place.

“We are confident in our secur ity and a larm procedures.

“The fire alarm is working properly and Saturday is a one-off.”

However, one parent said her daugh ter had temporarily moved back in with her parents because of the issue.

She said: “Students went back into the building with the alarm still sounding. Many were sleeping on kitchen couches and in bathrooms to get away from the noise.”

The mother, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s really concerning. Not e ver yone in there has parents living nearby they can come back to, so are stuck putting up with it.

“They are understandably not taking the alarms seriously any more, which could be really dangerous.

“There could have been a real fire later on Saturday night and people wouldn’t know because the alarm was already going off.”

Scott Quinn, president of student union Dusa, said his group was receiving numerous queries about the alarm repeatedly being triggered.

He said: “It is extremely disappointing, and we are urging CRM Students to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible. With the many disruptions that Covid-19 has brought, students should feel they have a peaceful accommodation to rest, live and study.

“Not having this environment can have a lasting impact on their studies and their mental health. We would encourage CRM Students to resolve this as a high priority, and offer partial refunds to the students that have been affected.

“If residents are unhappy with the response from the provider, we would urge them to follow the complaints procedure at CRM Students, or raise the issue with Dundee City Council.”

A fire service spokeswoman confirmed appliances have attended The Hub on several occasions in recent days, including on Saturday and again on Sunday.