SERIOUS questions have been raised over the construction of a York block of flats hit by a devastating blaze last May.

Firefighter investigators have released a summary of their final findings into the fire at the Fulford Place flats that left dozens of people homeless.

Investigations into the cause of the fire have revealed problems with the way the building had been constructed that appeared to be against Government regulations.

Owen Hayward, operation support manager for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said: "As we found it, it didn't comply with building regulations - that's how it appeared to us.

"When we're doing an investigation after a serious fire, we cannot be 100 per cent certain because of the damage of the fire.

"Where we would have expected to see evidence of fire stopping (seals), we couldn't find any."

The report reveals:

An apparent failure to comply with THREE sets of building regulations

The fire started because of a burning rag on the roof

The blaze should NOT have spread as far as it did

Now City of York Council chiefs have called on the Government to tighten up its building regulations in the light of the findings.

The council is compiling a database of building materials to help firefighters tackle future blazes - in a scheme believed the first of its kind in Britain.

Officers said it appeared that some of the compartmental walls which joined the roof were not properly sealed to stop flames spreading.

Furthermore, the sandwich panel structure on top of walls was not separated by compartment walls, and a wooden partition wall between blocks was unlikely to have withstood fire for the required 60 minutes.

The report concluded that a simple burning rag should NOT have led to a huge fire that involved the roofs of two separate blocks of the building.

Bill Woolley, acting environment and development chief at the council, said all new developments would be inspected to make sure they followed guidelines.

He said the council would be lobbying the Government to make this a mandatory requirement.

The council will also be calling on the Government to:

Make break glass fire alarms a statutory requirement in residential building stairwells

Make sandwich panels in roofs or walls either non-combustible or fire resistant for an hour

A spokesman from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said the Government would look at any requests to tighten building regulations. Taylor Woodrow, which built the Fulford Place flats, has declined to comment until the full fire report is released next week.

:: ON the night of the fire on Friday May 13, 80 firefighters spent most of the night putting out the blaze which left 60 people homeless.

Several flats were gutted, and dozens more badly damaged. None of the residents was injured, although one firefighter was taken to York Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation but later released.

Some residents said the first they knew of the blaze burning above them was when firefighters knocked on their doors.

The fire began in a top floor flat near the Fulford Road end of the building at around 5.15pm. It then spread west towards the river, accelerated by the strong wind.

By 7.30pm, the centre penthouse flat was alight, and by 9pm, firefighters were still struggling to get the blaze under control.

By 10.30pm, the blaze had spread to two further blocks of the building, smashing windows and destroying the roof frame.

Residents who watched their homes go up in flames called for an investigation into why firefighters were left without water for almost half-an-hour because of a problem with three hydrants in Hospital Fields Road, which meant water had to be pumped directly from the Ouse.

A special water tanker had to be brought in from Boroughbridge.

But initial checks carried out on the hydrants showed they were working well and there was enough water to fight the blaze.

At the time it was thought the fire was started by a cigarette end discarded in a gutter.

The fire service launched a full investigation into the cause of the fire.

The council found temporary accommodation for 17 residents, but most were forced to spend the weekend with friends and family.

Subsequently residents have faced a catalogue of problems in the aftermath of the fire.

Stunned householders were faced with huge costs after being told Norwich Union would not cover the cost for another place to rent while repairs were carried out.

But in a dramatic U-turn the company agreed to stump up the cash as a "goodwill gesture".

Four families were caught in a Catch-22 situation because they did not buy their flats from developers Taylor Woodrow, but through a 50 per cent discount deal from the Yorkshire Housing Group.

Work on repairing the fire damaged buildings has begun, but residents have been told it could be up to two years before they can move back in.

:: 'It's scary thinking we have to go back'

FULFORD Place residents are considering legal action in the light of a report into the fire that devastated their homes.

The home of single mum Kate McCarthy, 33, was destroyed by water damage after the blaze and she said she will be seeking legal advice following the release of the report.

After the fire struck, Kate shared one room in a bed and breakfast with her 13-year-old daughter, Fran, and dog, Missy, until their insurance money meant they could get a rented house.

"This isn't totally unexpected - and I am now going to see what my options are legally.

"We all knew there had to be something wrong with the place because there is absolutely no way the fire should have spread as far or as quickly as it did," said Kate.

"It's a scary thought that we will have to move back in there one day and to be honest I want more assurance that it is safe. Every time you go to bed you are going to think 'what if it happens again tonight' - I feel sorry for the people still living in the other blocks."

Vicky Harrison, 32, has rented her home in the adjoining Mulberry House for two years and is still living at the complex.

She said: "I find it absolutely terrifying to be honest - even now when I go to bed it's the last thing on my mind at night. I have put a fortune into my home, but I have considered moving more than once because every time you smell smoke you think it could be happening all over again.

Katie Adamson, 26, and her seven-year-old daughter, Jessica, moved into their rented home in Mulberry House on the day of the fire.

"Starting out in this property was very daunting but finding out the findings of this report makes me even more nervous."

Updated: 12:06 Saturday, September 03, 2005