Supported Living Sprinkler Activation

• Date of incident; 12 October 2023
• Location; Wolverhampton
• Use of building; Supported Living
• Number of floors; Two
• Location of fire; Living room
• Automatic Fire Suppression System; Sprinklers
• Fire Rescue Service; West Midlands Fire Rescue Service

Wolverhampton Homes have reported the above-mentioned incident confirming their commitment to sprinklers allowing this positive news story to be promoted to a wider audience. Demonstrating the clear benefits of sprinklers for fires within dwellings, the outcome of which will entice other stakeholders, housing providers to install sprinklers protecting the most vulnerable residents of our communities. Funding for the installation of the sprinkler system obtained from the government the Care and Support Specialised Housing fund whose aim is to support and accelerate the development of specialist affordable housing which meets the needs of older people and adults with disabilities or mental health problems.

 Sprinkler system

• Installed to BS9251
• Category 1 System
• Water supply; town main
• Coverage; dwellings, communal areas including corridors, storeroom, and stairs.
• System linked to a remote monitoring station.

The Incident

• Alarm raised following the activation of the residential sprinkler system.
• Seat of the fire involved the living room sofa which caught light due to the proximity of a lite cigarette.
• Two sprinkler heads activated controlling, extinguishing the fire to room of origin with smoke damage reported to adjacent rooms.
• No injuries were reported.
• Flat of origin was decanted allowing for redecoration following the incident

Comment from Resident

Thanks to my sprinklers and working fire alarms, I was kept safe in my flat. You don’t think it will happen to you, but it did, and I’m so thankful my life was saved.

When you compare this to a similar fire reported by London Fire Brigade involving smoking materials the outcome was so much different

• Flat fire, Shepherds Bush
• Date of incident 19/10/2023
• Time of call 22:51
• Time of stop 23:44
• Four pump fire
• Ground floor flat damaged by fire inside a four-story house converted into flats.
• One woman rescued from the flat by firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus
• Immediate emergency care provided by firefighters, removed to hospital by London Ambulance Service
• Cause of the fire, careless disposal of smoking materials

To drive change, we need your support to make sprinklers the norm and not the exception, if you hear of a save report it.

Links

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2022/2023
• Sprinkler Saves Update No 2
• Wolverhampton Homes, Sprinkler page promoting sprinkler saves
• London Fire Brigade Incident Shepherds Bush Flat fire