The London Fire Brigade has called on businesses and commercial property owners in the capital to enforce and respect fire safety laws.

Last year, breaches of the Regulatory Reform Order fire safety legislation, launched in 2006, cost London's landlords and premises owners more than £1 million in fines and payments.

London fire commissioner Ron Dobson said: "Over a million pounds in fines shows how serious the courts are taking fire safety.

"Now it's time for the responsible persons at these premises to understand that ensuring buildings are safe for all the people that use them is not an optional task."

Shell International and high street fashion retailer New Look were both fined £300,000 and £500,000 respectively in 2009 for fire safety breaches.

London Fire Brigade carries out around 14,000 fire inspections of premises in the capital each year. The emergency service recently announced the appointment of a new deputy head of community fires safety.

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