Every day in Australia, fires occur in homes, units and apartment buildings. The Productivity Commission reports thousands of accidental residential structure fires each year—and “residential” includes units, flats and apartments.

For the people involved, the consequences can extend well beyond the unit where the fire started. Residents may be displaced, essential services isolated and neighbouring lots damaged by smoke, heat or firefighting water. Access may remain restricted while the building is made safe and investigations are completed.

Once the emergency is over, attention quickly turns from what happened to whether the building was compliant before it happened.

What will the insurer review?

The body corporate’s insurer may appoint a loss adjuster, engineer or fire investigator to examine:

• Where and how the fire started
• How the fire and smoke spread
• Whether fire alarms and other safety systems operated
• Whether fire doors and fire-rated construction performed correctly
• Whether maintenance defects contributed to the damage
• Whether the building was being maintained in accordance with its approval requirements
• Whether any person or contractor may be responsible for the loss

The insurer may request maintenance reports, logbooks, defect quotations, approval documents, contractor records, committee minutes and evidence showing how reported defects were addressed.

What will Queensland Fire Department review?

Depending on the circumstances, Queensland Fire Department may prepare incident, fire investigation or scientific reports. It may also examine whether the building complied with Queensland fire safety legislation.

This can include reviewing:

• Fire safety installation maintenance records
• The occupier statement
• Evacuation plans and diagrams
• Fire and evacuation instruction records
• Fire alarm and detection system performance
• Fire doors, exits and paths of travel
• Outstanding defects or previous compliance concerns

Where non-compliance is identified, QFD has enforcement powers that include notices, requisitions, infringement notices and prosecution.

What will Queensland Fire Department review?

Depending on the circumstances, Queensland Fire Department may prepare incident, fire investigation or scientific reports. It may also examine whether the building complied with Queensland fire safety legislation.

This can include reviewing:

• Fire safety installation maintenance records
• The occupier statement
• Evacuation plans and diagrams
• Fire and evacuation instruction records
• Fire alarm and detection system performance
• Fire doors, exits and paths of travel
• Outstanding defects or previous compliance concerns

Where non-compliance is identified, QFD has enforcement powers that include notices, requisitions, infringement notices and prosecution.

What if someone dies?

A fire-related death will generally involve police and the Queensland Coroner. The Coroner investigates who died, when and where they died, the medical cause of death and the circumstances of the death.

The investigation may include witness statements, fire investigation findings, expert evidence and the building’s fire safety and maintenance records. Most coronial investigations do not proceed to a public inquest, but an inquest may be held where broader safety issues require examination.

Could your body corporate answer the questions?

The most important question is not whether the paperwork can be found after the fire.

It is:

Can the body corporate demonstrate that the building was compliant five minutes before the fire occurred?

Were defects recorded and rectified? Were fire doors operational? Were exits clear? Were maintenance records complete? Was the occupier statement properly supported? Had residents received the required evacuation information?

Compliance cannot be recreated after an incident. Good records must demonstrate what was inspected, what defects were found and what action was taken before the fire.

Fire safety in a residential building is a community effort involving the body corporate, committee, building manager, contractors, lot owners and occupants. Everyone has a role—but the body corporate must be confident that its systems, records and procedures will withstand examination when it matters most.