Fleet Residential Electrical Cupboard Sprinkler Activation

Credit Image Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service

Introduction

The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) is the UK’s leading professional trade association for the fire sprinkler industry. Our primary objectives include providing authoritative information on the benefits of fire sprinkler systems and how fire sprinklers can play a significant role in saving life and property from the devastating effects of fire.

One way to achieve this is to demonstrate the vital role sprinklers play in fire safety arrangements by highlighting real tangible examples of where they have actuated and in doing so, saved life and property from fire. The outcome of which will entice others in the housing sector or providing sleeping accommodation to install fire sprinklers as part of a package of fire safety measures reducing the impact of fire on people, property, and the environment.

A sprinkler save is categorised as where one or more sprinkler heads have activated and contained, controlled or in some cases, extinguished a building fire. The story around the incident provides powerful evidence of the ability of sprinklers to protect life, firefighters, and property from fire.

The most recent ¹UK research commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council, National Fire Sprinkler Network and supported by British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association in the publication, “Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service Data”. Key data revealed that across all premises types:

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

This post fire review supports this evidence.

Our gratitude to Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service for rising the call from the National Fire Chiefs Council to collate, report sprinkler activations to Sprinkler Saves Uk. The outcome of which will allow a central and comprehensive record of fire incidents where sprinklers played their essential role is suppressing and/or extinguishing the fire.

The resources will benefit the collective aim of enhancing protection against fire through the increased acceptance and installation of fire sprinklers, driving a culture of change so they are understood and become a more widespread protection measure across the UK.

It cannot be stressed how important active systems such as fire sprinklers are. Providing effective fire protection requires a balanced approach to the provision of passive and active elements. The use of a combined approach plays a significant role reducing the impact of fire on people, reduce the risk to firefighters, property and the environment and increase sustainability.

 The Premises, low rise residential block of flats of 4 floors containing 22 flats.

Description of incident

A small fire within a flat electrical cupboard contained, controlled by the provision of both the passive and active fire safety measures playing a combined approach, completing the roles of one another. The electrical cupboard fire door was in the closed position at the time of the incident which prevented the fire from spreading from the compartment of origin compromising the means of escape. One concealed sprinkler head located within the cupboard activated which extinguished the fire before the arrival of the emergency services.

The images of the incident clearly demonstrate the benefits of sprinklers as a life safety system.

Credit images Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service

Key Facts

• The fire was extinguished, controlled within the compartment of origin, no direct fire damage reported within the dwelling.
• The activation of the sprinkler system reduced the heat output from the fire by reducing its growth, allowing more time for the occupants to escape to safety or be rescued.
• No further firefighting media was required by the emergency services
• The sprinkler system provided vital protection for the residents dwelling, belongings, personal processions.
• No injuries were reported.

Debunking the myths: – When one sprinkler activates, they all activate. Fact, only the sprinkler head(s) directly affected by the fire is activated.

 When you compare this incident to a similar electrical flat cupboard fire in London in May 2021 involving a residential tall building where sprinklers were not installed the outcome was far different.  The fire spread from the compartment of origin on the eight-floor resulting in a 20-pump fire

• Fire spread to the exterior of the building affecting balconies directly above
• Flat of origin 80% damaged by fire
• 67 residents’ self-evacuated prior to arrival of the FRS
• Major incident declared mass evacuation of the block implemented
• 22 smoke hoods used to rescue residents
• 34 residents rescued

Further details on the incident can be found in. the LFB, New Providence Wharf fire report.

• Can detect and control a fire at an early stage of development and activate an alarm.
• Operation of the system rapidly reduces the rate of production of heat and smoke, allowing more time for the occupants to escape to safety or be rescued.
• Assist firefighters in carrying out search and rescue operations by limiting fire development, which significantly reduces the risk to firefighters.

The provision of a sprinkler system does not neglect the need for other fire practical precautions or provisions where the person is at higher-than-average risk from fire, unable to self-evacuate in the event of a fire.

The following advice is intended for building managers, individuals who have responsibility for fire safety within a building.

Premises Emergency Plan

The problem, post fire sprinkler activations reported where buildings have been identified as affected by water egress following the successful activation of the sprinkler system containing, controlling or in some cases extinguishing the fire, predominately due to.

• Poor business continuity management, inadequate onsite emergency planning by the building manager or responsible person for the fire safety arrangements within a building.
• Allowing onsite information to be available for firefighters to interact with the building active fire safety measures namely automatic water fire suppression systems.

There is now a high probability that firefighters will attend a variety of incidents where sprinklers systems are reported as present and having an impact within these types of buildings.

The provision of a robust emergency plan will allow an immediate emergency response to be actioned by the fire rescue service to assist in the management of water from the activation of the sprinkler system following a fire or even following the unlikely likelihood of un-intentional release of water, due to the knock-on effect this can have on a business or occupancy

Debunking the myth that water damage following the actuation of the sprinkler system will be more expensive than the actual damage resulting from the fire.

Links/sources

• ¹Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service data In support of this publication a supplementary publication Incidence of Deaths and Injuries in sprinklered buildings was published
• Sprinkler Saves Review 2023/2024
• Sprinkler Saves Winter Update No 6
• Hampshire& Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service press release
• LFB, New Providence Wharf report
• BAFSA Information file, a guide for responsible persons and duty holder

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 the FRS to promote, collate, report sprinkler activations to Sprinkler Saves UK 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