A church that was badly damaged by a fire that started in a neighbouring property has launched a legal battle over the alleged negligence of the management of fire alarms.

In 2008 a fire that started at a hostel in Shepherd’s Bush, London, spread to the nearby century-old Shepherd's Bush Tabernacle church and almost completely destroyed its roof. Fire alarms at the hostel were allegedly repeatedly silenced by one of the residents, according to the Evening Standard.

The owners of the church, the Great Commission Ministry, have now launched a legal battle with The Carr Gomm Society, the charity that runs the hostel.

It claims the charity sublet bedrooms in the hostel to people who had a history of substance abuse, mental health issues and self-harming. It says the charity was “negligent” as it failed to make sure that the alarm system was secure.

Following the fire, resident Jennifer Morrow was found guilty of deliberately setting fire to the building.

A High Court writ served by the church states that another resident silenced the alarm when it went off at 6.40 am on July 29. A short while later, three further smoke detectors sounded the alarm again. The writ says that within 15 minutes the same resident had tried five times to shut off the alarm, only stopping when he was told a blaze had actually broken out.

Ms Morrow, 36, pleaded guilty at Blackfriars Crown Court to arson and sentenced to a two-year supervision order and alcohol treatment programme.

The Carr Gomm Society, which is now part of Sanctuary Carr Gomm, was unavailable for comment.