London fire commissioner updates on independent investigation findings

The London Fire Commissioner has provided an update to the London Assembly Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee regarding the independent investigation into the treatment of trainee firefighter, Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit.

The independent report, carried out by CMP Solutions Ltd, was initiated on 28 March 2023 following concerns raised by the family of Francois-Esprit and concluded on 22 February 2024.

CMP Solutions Ltd determined there was no evidence of direct discrimination, bullying, or harassment towards Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit by his colleagues at the London Fire Brigade, with none of the allegations being formally upheld.

Commissioner’s statement on investigation findings

Andy Roe, the London Fire Commissioner, expressed the profound impact of Francois-Esprit’s death on the Brigade and the importance of the investigation: “The death of Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit was a shocking tragedy for London Fire Brigade (LFB).

“It was important to understand more about Jaden’s lived experience at work in the time leading up to his death and to ensure that his case was fully and properly investigated.”

Despite the findings, Roe acknowledged the importance of reflecting on the personal experiences of Francois-Esprit within the Brigade: “Nevertheless, we cannot ignore what the evidence tells us about Jaden’s personal lived experience at the Brigade in the time leading up to his death.

The report’s findings indicate failings of our day-to-day protocols, approaches and systems at the time and reinforce the need for organisational improvement identified in the Independent Culture Review and previous internal investigations.”

Actions taken by the London Fire Brigade

Following the tragic loss of Francois-Esprit, Roe detailed the steps taken by the LFB to address the identified failings: “Since the tragic event of Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit’s death, LFB has taken action to ensure the systems and processes that let him down are improved and where required, changed, and we continue to do so.”