Bedford Chip Pan Sprinkler Save

The above images clearly show the benefits of sprinklers following the chip pan fire specifically;

• No visible fire damage
• Minimal smoke damage

Activated sidewall sprinkler head clearly visible, replaced following the attendance of the sprinkler contractor within two hours of incident reported

Images credit BMSprinklers

• Date Of Incident; 17 February 2022
• Time of Call; 11:00 pm
• Fire Rescue Service; Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service
• Location; Bedford
• Occupancy; 14 Storey, residential block of flats (Retirement Housing)
• Housing provider; BPHA, Social Housing Association
• Number of flats 112
• Location of fire; Kitchen, first floor
• Type of fire; Chip pan fire
• Retrofitted, Automatic Fire Suppression System

Credit to BMSprinklers for reporting the above-mentioned incident involving a chip pan fire

Outcome of incident

• Activation, 1x concealed sidewall sprinkler head which extinguished the fire
• No injuries were reported.
• Sprinkler alarm, transmitted to an alarm receiving centre allowing the local fire rescue service to be mobilised
• The sprinkler system was reinstated the following day within 2 hours of being reported, however due to the design of the system, provision of an isolation valve for each individual flat, it allowed the system to stay live for the remaining flats

The incident clearly demonstrates the benefits of sprinklers.

• Fire confined to compartment of origin
• Flash over prevented
• Safety of fire crews reinforced
• Carbon emissions reduced

Sprinkler Installation

• Installed to BS9251:2014 (Retrofitted)
• Coverage, residential flats only
• Water Supply; Dedicated pump, shared water supply with a dedicated riser
• Flats fitted with their own dedicated Isolation valve. (Location, common ways riser cupboard)

BPHA

• A social housing association based in Bedford, should be applauded for their decision to retrofit sprinklers in all their high-rise blocks as part of a programme of works to ensure their high-rise blocks meet the highest standards of fire safety.

Comments

• This incident confirms once again the benefit of sprinklers for domestic/residential property fires involving chip pan fires.
• Reinforced following fire trials completed by the Fire Protection Association on behalf for the Department of communities and local government.
• Confirming that sprinklers will prevent destructive cooking fires involving deep fat frying with a standard residential sprinkler head operating at 49 litres/minute.
• Therefore, any system installed to BS9251 will have the same outcome, subject to the distance of the sprinkler head from the cooking hob and the height of the ceiling
• Fire statistical data collated from incidents attended by fire and rescue service involving dwellings for the financial year 2019/20, 1494 incidents took place involving chip pan fires

Previous recorded saves involving chip pan incidents

• Lincoln 7 August 2021
• Flint 3 June 2021
• Tonypandy 29 December 2021

Links

• BAFSA; Domestic sprinkler extinguishing chip pan fire video
• Fire statistical data collated from incidents attended by fire and rescue service involving dwellings for the financial year 2019/20
• Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service
• BMSprinklers