Nottingham Tall Building Sprinkler Activation

Credit Image Nottinghamshire Fire& Rescue Service (NFRS)

The image kindly provided by NFRS provides further evidence that the operation of a correctly designed and installed sprinkler system reduces the rate of production of heat and smoke, allowing more time for the occupants to escape to safety or be rescued.

• Date of incident; 30 March 2024.
• Tine of call; 21:30.
• Time of stop; 02;00.
• Location; Nottingham.
• Use of building; Purpose built block of flats 10 floors and above.
• Incident; fire.
• Location of fire; Hallway.
• Automatic Fire Suppression System; Sprinklers.
• Fire Rescue Service; Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. (NFRS

Background

Nottingham City Council should be applauded for their decision to implement an £8.4 million programme protecting their tenants from fire by installing fire sprinklers into their 13 high rise residential block as part of a package of long-standing fire safety measures. Following the tragic events of the Grenfell fire, Nottingham City Homes, which manages the Council’s social housing, conducted a review of fire safety in conjunction with NFRS. Where it was recommended that fire sprinklers should be fitted in all high-rise common ways and dwellings.

 This decision was clearly justified following a small fire within a flat which was successfully extinguished by the premises sprinkler system with no injuries reported

The Incident

• Fire crews were mobilised to reports of an automatic fire alarm sounding within a 22-storey residential block of flats.
• En-route the incident was upgraded to a fire call, persons reported.
• Following the completion of a dynamic risk assessment, key tasks by the officer in charge (OIC) on arrival, it was established that the building was fitted with a residential sprinkler system with the fire located on the16^th floor within a dwelling.
• The benefit of the sprinkler system allowed extra time for the OIC to implement a robust operational tactical plan for the incident.
• 4-team breathing apparatus team was committed from the bridgehead to locate the resident, extinguish the fire.
• Upon entry to the flat it was established that a fire within a room had been contained, controlled by the activation of 1 sprinkler head located within the hallway.
• No rapid-fire growth reported, the fire was extinguished using 1 jet.
• The resident self-evacuated their flat prior to the arrival of NFRS with no injuries reported.
• Enquires are ongoing to establish the cause of the fire.

  Premises Emergency Plan

• It was reported following the incident that flats were affected by water, it should be remembered that a robust emergency plan will allow the provision of vital information for the Fire Rescue Service to be shared by onsite representatives.
• Clarifying the location and provision of key elements of the active fire safety systems where present such as sprinklers and other forms of AFSS.
• 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  including consideration to  the reinstatement of the system.

Premises Sprinkler System

• BS9251:2014 Category 3 system
• Coverage: flats, common ways, refuse chute room/bin store

• Links/sources

  • Sprinkler Saves Review 2022/2023
  • Sprinkler Saves Spring Update No 4
  • Fire Protection Association Press Release.
  • My Nottingham News
  • Nottinghamshire  Fire and Rescue Service AFSS Position Statement
  • Westhampsted Square AFSS Activation Case Study

  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.