Recent events at Lenzie Academy in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, highlight a hard truth that those working in fire safety already know.
Inadequate fire exits
When serious fire risks are identified, delays in action can quickly escalate into disputes, disruption and a real danger to life.
Teachers at the secondary school are being balloted on strike action after a fire safety report published in November identified a substantial risk to life. The report found that fire exits were not easily openable and that critical fire safety issues remained unresolved. An indicative ballot showed overwhelming support for industrial action, with 95 percent of EIS members voting in favour.
While the local authority has stated that issues are being addressed in order of priority and that the school remains safe to occupy, staff have continued to raise concerns. The union has made it clear that broken fire doors remain unrepaired and that the situation on the ground has not improved to a level that reassures those working in the building every day.
This situation underlines a recurring problem across the education landscape and the wider public sector.
School fires are not rare events in the UK
Every year, hundreds of fires occur in educational buildings, often outside teaching hours but with potentially devastating consequences for buildings, continuity of education and community confidence. While many incidents do not result in loss of life, they frequently expose weaknesses in fire compartmentation, door performance and detection systems.
Common causes include electrical faults, deliberate fire setting and failures in building fabric that allow fire and smoke to spread more rapidly than anticipated.
In older school buildings, ageing fire doors, damaged seals and unprotected service penetrations are particularly common issues. Even in more modern buildings, poor installation or inadequate maintenance can undermine the original fire strategy.
Fire risk assessments identify issues, but remediation can be slow, fragmented or deprioritised in the face of budget pressures, estate challenges and long term redevelopment plans.
Proposals are 4 years old at Lenzie Academy
At Lenzie Academy, proposals to replace the building have been ongoing since 2021, yet pupils and staff remain in the existing premises while decisions, consultations and site selections continue.
Fire safety is not something that can be managed as a future aspiration. It is a live, operational responsibility that must be addressed in real time. Fire doors that do not perform correctly, exits that are difficult to open and compartmentation failures are not minor defects. They are life safety issues that can rapidly turn a manageable incident into a catastrophic event.
Planned, delivered
At Ember Fire Consultants, we know that effective fire safety management requires more than a report on a shelf. It demands clear prioritisation, transparent communication and competent remedial works delivered without delay. Even where long term redevelopment is planned, interim safety measures must be robust, documented and demonstrably effective.
Schools are complex environments with high occupancy, vulnerable users and demanding evacuation requirements. That makes proactive fire door inspections, compartmentation checks and remedial works essential, not optional. When these elements are neglected, the consequences extend far beyond compliance failures.
For more on statutory fire safety requirements in UK schools, see UK government guidance on fire safety in new and existing school buildings.
The situation at Lenzie Academy should serve as a reminder to building owners, local authorities and dutyholders everywhere
Fire safety cannot wait for new buildings, future budgets or political resolution. It must be addressed decisively, visibly and without compromise, because protecting pupils, staff and the wider community is a non-negotiable.
If you would like to discuss fire door inspections, remedial works, compartmentation surveys or a structured approach to managing fire safety risks in occupied buildings, Ember Fire Consultants are here to help.
Email our team today for an informal conversation: info@ember-fire.co.uk
