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Dundee Housing Development Sprinkler Activation

1 November 2024 - 30 November 2024

Credit image Discovery Fire Sprinklers Ltd

Introduction

Many thanks to Discovery Fire Sprinklers Ltd for reporting this positive news story demonstrating the benefits of installing sprinklers,as part of a package of fire safety measures protecting our communities from fire.

Background

The foresight of Dundee City Council committing to install sprinkler systems in all new build properties since 2016 was clearly vindicated following a fire involving a ground floor terraced flat which was extinguished by the activation of the premises sprinkler system which should be applauded, the outcome could have been so much different if sprinklers had not been installed. This major housing development was completed in October 2024 providing more than 298 affordable homes including a mix of modern flats, detached, and terraced homes installed with sprinklers.

The detail of this activation provides further evidence of the reliability and effectiveness of sprinkler systems and adds further weight to the recent report conducted by ¹Optimal Economics, commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council, National Fire Sprinkler Network into the performance, reliability, and effectiveness of sprinkler systems in controlling and extinguishing fires.

The report found that:

1.Sprinklers are 99% efficient in extinguishing or controlling a fire.
2. Sprinklers are 94% efficient in their ability to operate.

The Incident

  • Date of incident; November 2024.
  • TOC 15:13
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Address; Dundee.
  • Location of fire; Bedroom.
  • AFSS; BS9251:2014.
  • Impact of AFSS; Extinguished.
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 1.
  • Fire Rescue Service; Scottish Fire Rescue Service.

  

                     

Credit image Discovery Fire Sprinklers Ltd

Summary of Incident

  • 3 fire appliances were mobilised to reports of a confirmed fire.
  • The seat of the fire was identified to involve the ground floor flat bedroom.
  • The fire was contained/controlled in the room of origin by the activation of 1 concealed pendent sprinkler head
  • Remaining hot spots extinguished using 1 hose reel jet
  • No injuries were reported.
  • 20% fire damage to the room of origin with smoke staining on the walls.
  • Major protracted incident everted allowing FRS resources to be released, redeployed to attend emergency incidents.
  • Enquires are ongoing to identify the cause of the fire.

The benefit of local knowledge to isolate the sprinkler system at the conclusion of the incident was clearly demonstrated, by coincidence as the incident was unfolding engineers representing Discovery Fire Sprinklers Ltd who installed the sprinkler system were driving pass the incident. Who had the foresight to stop and assist the fire service to identify the sprinkler isolation valve, returning the following day to reinstate the system.

This incident provides further evidence that the main functional objectives of a life safety sprinkler system were achieved.

  • The occupants were able to leave the building in reasonable safety.
  • Firefighters can operate without due risk to: –
  1. Assist evacuation when necessary.
  2. Effect rescue when necessary.
  • Prevent conflagration.

Design & Install Sprinkler System Criteria

  • BS9251:2014
  • Cat 2
  • 2 6000 litre storage Tanks
  • 2 1700 litre underground storage Tanks
  • 4 fire pump sets
  • 98 units – mixed dwellings
  • 98 ICVs
  • 98 Alarm systems
  • 1200 sprinklers
  • Upgraded pump monitoring

Advice For Building Managers, the following advice is intended for building managers, individuals who have responsibility for fire safety within a building. It is paramount that fire protection measures in buildings can function effectively in the event of a fire.

To achieve this: –

  1. Maintenance, the premises fire protection measures should be maintained periodically in accordance with the relevant standards and codes, to ensure they are always operational and available.
  2. Emergency Plan, the premises emergency plan should include Information onsite for the Fire Rescue Service to clarify the location and provision of key elements of the active fire safety systems. Allowing a robust onsite emergency response to be actioned to assist with the control of the sprinkler system at the conclusion of the fire incident.
  3. Reinstatement of the Fire Protection Measures, arrangements should be in place allowing the immediate reinstatement of the sprinkler system. Any delay could compromise the safety of the occupants in the event of a further fire within the building due to the sprinkler system being offline.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, it is a requirement of the Order for the responsible person to implement the appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring of the preventive and protective measures.

Conclusion

This incident provides further evidence that the main functional objectives of a life safety sprinkler system were achieved

  • The occupants were able to leave the building in reasonable safety
  • Firefighters can operate without due risk to
  1. Assist evacuation when necessary
  2. Effect rescue when necessary
  • Prevent conflagration

Sources/further reading. 

If you want to make a difference working in the fire sector, we need your assistance……

To make sprinklers the norm and not the exception – we need the evidence. Encouraging FRS and those in the sprinkler community to promote, collate, report sprinkler activations to Sprinkler Saves UK which will help to create a central and comprehensive record of fire incidents where sprinklers played their role in containing/controlling or extinguishing the fire.

If you hear of a save report it using this link.

Credit to both Discovery Fire Sprinklers/SFRS for reporting this incident allowing the benefits of sprinklers to be reported to a wider audience raising awareness of the good work that sprinklers do and help in our continued campaign to lobby government to introduce tougher sprinkler rules making the installation and retrofitting of sprinklers mandatory in all buildings we are particularly concerned about:

  • Buildings housing vulnerable residents
  • Residential buildings
  • Schools
  • Carparks
  • Storage and warehouses
  • Hospitals

   

Details

Start:
1 November 2024
End:
30 November 2024
Event Category:

Venue

Dundee

Other

Location (Town/City)
Dundee
Type of Sprinkler Installation
Wet Pipe