Lancashire Factory Fire Sprinkler Save

Summary

In April 2025, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) attended a fire at an industrial manufacturing factory unit in Lancashire. The automatic water suppression system (sprinklers) was activated, effectively containing and controlling the fire involving a printing machine and preventing further spread. Firefighters extinguished the blaze using appropriate firefighting media, and no injuries were reported.

The incident

• Three fire appliances were mobilised following reports of a factory fire
• On arrival, following the completion of a dynamic risk assessment by the incident.commander, it was established that the premises sprinkler system had actuated on the ground floor.
• 4 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were committed, establishing a fire involving an industrial printing machine, which had been contained, controlled by the activation of 2 sprinkler heads.
• Firefighting media was applied using 1 hose reel jet extinguishing the fire.
• Drone was deployed, confirming no fire spread through exterior ducting which had been damaged by the fire.
• On site engineers, dismantled machinery parts from the printer allowing crews to identify that fire had been fully extinguished.
• No injuries reported, cause accidental due to friction igniting a build up of waste material.
• The incident was resolved in three and a half hours.

Outcome

In this instance, the AFSS

• Provided support for firefighters by effectively containing the fire to the item first ignited playing a key role in mitigating risks for firefighter personnel.
• Preventing conflagration.
• Can safeguard assets, minimise financial loss, and bolster business resilience by controlling or extinguishing fires prior to the arrival of emergency services, allowing for rapid resumption of normal operations and mitigating economic and social impacts.

This incident highlights the importance of AFSS as an active fire protection measure; research by the ¹National Fire Sprinkler Network and National Fire Chief Council found that sprinklers functioned as intended in 94% of fire incidents and controlled or extinguished fires in 99% of cases across residential and non-residential buildings.

Conclusion

• What could have developed into a significant incident was resolved quickly due to the presence of the sprinkler system, despite there being no regulatory requirement for such systems in factories.
• This incident demonstrates the role of AWSS in comprehensive fire safety strategies, contributing to the protection of lives, property, and the environment. It also supports continued efforts by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the fire sector to advocate for stricter government regulations on sprinkler installation within the built environment.
• The ²Business Sprinkler Alliance report fire crews in England attend an average of 341 industrial fires every year-nearly one a day, fires do not discriminate whether it is a factory, car park, warehouse of office fires happen on a regular basis and will continue to do so in the future. AFSS can contain and extinguish fires, safeguarding lives and businesses during critical times when they are most needed.

Sources/further reading

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2024/2025
• Sprinkler Saves Summer Update No 8
• National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) sprinkler position statement
• Lancashire press release, incident of interest
• ¹Efficiency and Effectiveness of sprinkler systems in the United Kingdom: An analysis from fire service data
• ²Business Sprinkler Alliance

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.