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LFB Reported Sprinkler Activations September 2024 Review

September 1 @ 12:00 am - September 30 @ 12:00 am

Introduction

Our gratitude to The London Fire Brigade (LFB) for their ongoing support, playing a key leadership role in promoting the benefits of fire sprinklers by the reporting of sprinkler activations, rising to the call from the National Fire Chiefs Council who actively encourage fire services to collate, provide fire data and case studies to Sprinkler Saves UK. Reporting incidents taken from the Incident Recording System (IRS) for the month of September  where sprinklers were reported as present and having an impact in Greater London.

Raising awareness of how the destructive effects of fire can be mitigated, and in most cases, be prevented through the enhanced use of sprinklers, and other forms of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) which save lives, protect firefighters, homes and businesses.

London Fire Brigade

LFB Is one of the largest, firefighting, community safety rescue services in the world protecting residents and property in Greater London as well as those who work or visit the capital. They report attending 126,464 incidents of which 16,120 were fires for the year 2023.

London

As the capital of the United Kingdom, London is also the largest city with a population of just over nine million and is projected to reach 10 million by 2035. It is home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world. There are 32 boroughs in Greater London, except for the City of London which is a county and government district. The risk from fire in the capital is diverse, ranging from large industrial premises, complex retail shopping centres, major transport hubs, and large high-rise residential developments. The latter is a key area as half of the population of London live in flats compared to less than 20% in the rest of the country.

The Review

The incidents contained within this review are collated from the Incident Recording System (IRS) for the month of September where AFSS were reported as present and having an impact in Greater London.

  • Providing evidence on the vital role sprinklers play by highlighting real, tangible examples of where they have actuated.
  • Raising awareness of the importance of collating sprinkler actuations from across the United Kingdom so societal awareness of the true value of sprinklers can be increased.
  • Allowing trends, anomalies to be identified in the emerging UK AFSS firefighting industry allowing the continued review of technical standards ensuring best practice within the sprinkler, fire industry.
  • Providing further evidence reaffirming the reliability and effectiveness of sprinkler systems following the two reports conducted by ¹Optimal Economics, and 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.

Incident Recording System (IRS)

When a household or business has made an emergency fire call, key information around the incident is captured, inputted daily into the IRS by the officer in charge of the incident using software forms structured into logical groups.

For the most severe fire incidents the senior fire investigation officer compiles a report that details the findings of the investigation and the most likely origin and cause. Once completed, this officer reviews and where necessary updates the IRS record to reflect the findings of the investigation.

 Each group contains questions in data fields with associated lists containing the appropriate answer options. Data collected about serious reportable fires include:

  • Time and date of call
  • Fire Service or other geographical area
  • Type of building or vehicle
  • Most likely motive (accidental or malicious)
  • Cause of fire (chip pan fires, electrical, etc.)
  • Source of ignition (cigarettes, cookers, etc.)
  • Materials (furniture, etc.)
  • The spread of fire (beyond room of origin, etc.)
  • The nature of fire casualties
  • Rescue information and method of extinction
  • The effectiveness of automatic smoke detectors
  • Were there any active safety systems present?

The importance of monitoring AFSS incident data has been acknowledged by the inclusion of the active safety system field focusing on the following performance characteristics of AFSS fire data.

  • Type of active safety system present
  • Location of active safety systems in relation to fire
  • Did the system operate
  • How many operated
  • Impact upon fire
  • Reason system did not function as intended

The IRS data captured is dependent on the fire officer who inputs the data and their training, experience of AFSS and commitment to complete reporting. Not all fire officers might be able to identify the difference between a sprinkler or water mist system or take the time to count the number of sprinkler head activations before leaving the scene.

The use of IRS data plays an important role in promoting the benefits of AFSS as part of a combination of fire safety measures to reduce the impact of fire on our communities, property and the environment, while assisting fire firefighters in carrying out search and rescue operations by limiting fire development

Water as an extinguishing media for sprinkler systems

 The physical properties of water produce a wide range of benefits, effects in a compartment fire.

  • Directly cools the fuel to reduce further generation of flammable gases
  • Water is converted into steam in the plume and the hot gases at ceiling level, absorbing heat, so cooling them and reducing the radiation heating the fuel
  • Once converted into steam, water limits the amount of oxygen reducing the flames, smothering them
  • Once concerted into steam, water expands rapidly driving the products of combustion out of the compartment
  • Water cools the rest of the apartment, increasing the amount of heat it will absorb from the plume, so cooling it further

It should be remembered the installation of a life safety sprinkler system is to reduce the rate of heat and smoke, allowing more time for the occupants to escape to safety or be rescued. 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.

9x Incidents were reported for the month of September where Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS)were present of which two had a impact.

  • 2x Having an impact within Purpose Built Flats/Maisonettes – 10 or more storeys
  • 4x Did not contain/control the fire
  • 3x Not known

  • Reference is made within table 1 that the firefighting system impact was either not known or did not contain/control in 7 of the incidents.
  • Supplementary Information from LFB provided further context allowing the rationale for these anomalies identifying 3 areas.
  1. Sprinkler system coverage was not provided within the fire affected area
  2. Fault in the AFSS
  3. insufficient heat from the fire to activate the sprinkler head

Reported Incidents

  1.  Havering Purpose-Built Flats/Maisonettes – 10 or more storeys
  • Date of incident; 1 September 2024
  • Time of call; 00:55
  • Incident; Fire.
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Extinguished
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 1

Fire crews were mobilised to a fire within a flat on the 2nd floor of a 10-storey high rise residential building containing 54 dwellings. On arrival fire crews established that a fire within the living room had been extinguished by the activation of 1 sprinkler head although a hose reel jet from the tank was utilised. The cause of the fire was identified to involve a tea light/candle setting light to textiles with fire spread confined to item 1st ignited, 1 person received minor injuries.

2. Lambeth Purpose Built Flats/Maisonettes – 10 or more storeys

  • Date of incident; 3 September 2024
  • Time of call; 21:37
  • Incident; Fire.
  • AFSS; Sprinklers.
  • Impact of AFSS; Contained/controlled
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 1

It is reported that an apartment fire on the second floor was contained/controlled by the activation of 1 concealed sprinkler head before the arrival of fire crews, the fire was extinguished using a main jet. The seat of the fire was identified to be within a cupboard and thought to be electrical in origin with fire spread limited to item 1st ignited.

3. Brent Hotel

  • Date of incident; 4 September 2024
  • Time of call; 15:03
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Location of fire; Corridor/hall
  • AFSS; Sprinklers.
  • Impact of AFSS; Fire in area not covered by system
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

It is reported that the electrical supply to a magnetic door holding device fitted to a corridor door was isolated following reports of smoke issuing from the device, no further firefighting media was required. Sprinkler system coverage was not provided within the fire affected area

4. Islington Purpose Built Flats/Maisonettes – 10 or more storeys

  • Date of incident; 6 September 2024
  • Time of call; 03:51
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Use of premises; Student Accommodation
  • Location of fire; Bedroom
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Fire in area not covered by system
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

Student accommodation is undoubtedly a challenging environment from a fire safety perspective with their own individual challenges. The student’s lifestyle is typically associated with a reduced level of caution when it comes to appreciating risk. It is the view of BAFSA and the National Fire Chiefs Council that sprinklers should be installed in all new student accommodation regardless of height, as well as existing buildings undergoing refurbishment, regardless of height providing a further layer of safety from fire.

It is reported that fire crews were mobilised to a small fire involving audio equipment located within a purpose-built mixed development bedroom housing student accommodation which was out on arrival.

IRS data references, the sprinkler system coverage was not provided within the fire affected area which is surprising as guidance within in the specific codes/standards would require sprinkler coverage to include the bedrooms.

The benefits of installing sprinklers for student accommodation was clearly identified following a fire within a Nottinghamshire high rise student accommodation block involving an incense candle which was successfully contained, extinguished within a cluster flat bedroom by the activation of 1 concealed sprinkler head with no injuries reported. The provided images clearly demonstrate the benefits of sprinklers

Click here for further details

 

                             

Credit images Nationwide fire sprinklers.                      Credit Nottinghamshire FRS                                       Credit Nottinghamshire FRS

5. Brent Food and drink processing

  • Date of incident; 12 September 2024
  • Time of call; 20:10
  • Incident; Fire
  • Property type: Food and drink processing
  • Location of fire; Process/Production room
  • AFSS; Water mist
  • Impact of AFSS; Did not contain/control (Fault in system)
  • Number of nozzle heads operated; 0

6 pumping appliances were mobilised to a fire within a ground floor commercial kitchen within a purpose-built retail warehouse of 3 floors measuring 80m by 50m. On arrival, the officer in charge was provided with an overview of the incident by the maintenance manager who confirmed the fire involved a deep fat fryer which was protected by a water mist system. Due to a fault on the water mist system, the fire was not contained/controlled before the arrival of LFB, the fire was extinguished by operational crews using firefighting media including a dry powder extinguisher, hose reel and main jet, the fire was under control at 22:31.

6. Bexley Factory

  • Date of incident; 16 September 2024
  • Time of call; 09:52
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Location of fire; Process production room
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Did not contain/control
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

Fire crews were mobilised to a fire involving an industrial conveyor belt system which was contained within the system therefore insufficient heat was created allowing the operation of the sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished by firefighters using a hose reel jet.

7. Towe Hamlets Purpose Built Office

  • Date of incident; 16 September 2024
  • Time of call; 15:03
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Location of fire; Office
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Did not contain/control
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

Small fire reported within an office involving an electrical storage heater, fire spread was limited to item first ignited. Due to insufficient heat from the fire, the sprinkler head located in the room of origin of the fire did not activate. The fire was out on arrival with no firefighting media required.

8. Lambeth Student Halls of residence

  • Date of incident; 16 September 2024
  • Time of call; 23:34
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Location of fire; Bedroom
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Not known
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

Small fire within a bedroom confined to an item of electrical equipment as part of the building structure. A small amount of damage occurred, due to insufficient heat from the fire, the sprinkler head located in the room of origin of the fire did not activate.

9. Croydon Specialised housing

  • Date of incident; 22 September 2024
  • Time of call; 13:20
  • Incident; Fire.
  • Location of fire; Kitchen
  • AFSS; Sprinklers
  • Impact of AFSS; Did not contain/control
  • Number of sprinkler heads operated; 0

Fire crews were mobilised to a kitchen fire, no sprinkler heads actuated due to the size of the fire involving a microwave oven no firefighting was required.

Observations, comments

 The two reported sprinkler activations within the residential tall buildings 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, assist evacuation , effect rescue when necessary
  • Prevent conflagration

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

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

Sources/further reading. 

Further details on speccific sprinkler activations within the Greater London are available to view on the sprinkler saves main website

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.

               

Details

Start:
September 1 @ 12:00 am
End:
September 30 @ 12:00 am
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