Police condemn rogue landlord and say fatal Leeds flat fire death was ‘entirely avoidable’

Philip Sheridan died when a fire started in his basement one-room flat on Berkeley Grove in Harehills and he was unable to escape quick enough. With no smoke alarms fitted, an inaccessible window blocked by debris outside and no proper fire exit, he suffered fatal smoke inhalation.

He was eventually able to get out but collapsed outside and died in hospital 10 days later.

Rogue landlord Humraz Pinnu Shahid was jailed for 13 months at Leeds Crown Court today for beaching health and safety regulations.

Senior Investigating Officer, Det Supt Marc Bowes, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “The death of Philip Sheridan in these circumstances was an absolute tragedy, but one that was entirely avoidable had Shahid taken his responsibilities to ensure a safe living environment seriously.

“We worked closely with Leeds City Council to bring this successful prosecution, and we hope that seeing Shahid held accountable for his flagrant breach of the regulations will serve as a clear reminder to other landlords and property managers who fail to meet their legal obligations to put the safety of their tenants first.”

Mr Sheridan had fallen asleep and left his cooker on in the flat in the early hours of June 26, 2019. When the fire took hold, the cooker was next to the door and blocked his exit.

Shahid, 43, of of Oakwood Lane, Leeds, spent years denying he was the landlord to avoid responsibility, but evidence unearthed during an investigation stacked up against him. This included money being paid from Mr Sheridan directly into Shahid’s account.