April London Tall Building Sprinkler Activations

• Fire Rescue Service; London Fire Brigade (LFB)
• Incident; 2x Tall building Fires
• When; 16, 26 April 2023
• Where, Sutton, Newham
• Type of Premises; Purpose Built Block of Flats -10 or more Stories.
• Automatic fire suppression System; BS9251

LFB have reported the above-mentioned incidents resulting in the activation of the premises residential sprinkler system following two kitchen fires.

On both occasions the

• The fire was extinguished by the activation of the sprinkler system.

1. Sutton fire: 1 sprinkler head activated.
2. Newham fire: 4 sprinkler heads activated.

• Raising the alarm
• limiting fire spread to the item fire ignited.
• No firefighting action was required.

This incident clearly indicates once again the benefits of installing a residential tall building with sprinklers. Rapidly reducing the rate of production of heat and smoke allowing the fire officer crucial time to implement the operational tactical plan.

• Allowing firefighters in carrying out search and rescue operations by limiting fire development, which significantly reduces the risks to firefighters.
• Integrity of the means of escape, maintained.
• Fire contained within the compartment of origin.

When you compare these two incidents to the high-rise fire at New Providence Wharf involving an electrical consumer unit reported by LFB on the 7^th May 2021 where sprinklers were not fitted the outcome was far different

• Location; Tower Hamlets
• Purpose group: Purpose built flat, 10 or more storeys, circa 2005
• Use of property; Residential flat
• Time of call; 08:54
• Incident; Fire
• Location of Incident.

1. Flat on the Eighth floor.
2. storage cupboard which contained the electrical consumer unit

• Cause of fire; electrical fault potentially relating to a timer switch within the consumer unit 

Summary

• Fire spread to the exterior of the building affecting balconies directly above on the 9th, 10th and 11^th floor.
• ACM cladding on 8th and 9th floors involved.
• Flat of origin 80% damaged by fire
• 67 residents’ self-evacuated prior to arrival of the FRS
• Incident escalated toa 20 pump fire
• Major incident declared mass evacuation of the block implemented.
• Fire fighters committed wearing Breathing Apparatus
• Firefighting resources; 6 jets, one aerial monitor, Drone team
• 22 smoke hoods used to rescue residents.
• LFB rescues 34 residents.

Sprinkler System

• The most obvious solution would have been the installation of a sprinkler system.
• As the fire started within the flat and spread to the exterior of the building spreading vertically effecting balconies above.
• The fire would have been contained/controlled or even extinguished before the arrival of firefighters.
• Delaying or preventing the fire to spread from compartment of origin.

Links:-

• British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association , Sprinkler Saves review 2022/2023
• Fire Sprinklers Greater London Review 2018-2021
• LFB New Providence Wharf Fire Report