October 3, 2025
Stannard (t/a Wyvern Tyres) v Gore [2012] EWCA Civ 1248
A fire caused by faulty wiring at a tyre-fitting business spread to an adjoining property. The defendant was not held strictly liable under Rylands v Fletcher because the items brought onto the land (tyres) did not themselves escape, only the fire did. Facts The defendant, Mr Stannard, operated a tyre-fitting business, Wyvern Tyres, from a unit on a trading estate. In February 2008, a fire, which likely originated from an electrical fault in the wiring, ignited a large collection of tyres stored on the premises. The blaze became incredibly intense due to the approximately 3,000 tyres acting as fuel, and
