Nottinghamshire Student Accommodation Saved By Sprinkler Activation

Credit image Nationwide Fire Sprinklers Ltd

Group Manager Chris Emmott, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue

“Sprinklers are one of the most effective methods of fire protection, offering automatic activation to suppress fires before they spread.

“We are thankful that this building had a working sprinkler system in place. This could have been a much worse situation, but thanks to the prompt response from the sprinklers, we were able to extinguish the fire quickly and keep everyone safe.”

While the sprinkler system helped mitigate the damage, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety in the kitchen.

 “Many families across Nottinghamshire own an air fryer, so it is crucial that users are aware of the fire risks that may come with it. We are seeing an increase in fires involving air friers, and we have attended nine in the last ten months, so we are urging families to use them safely.”

“Appliances such as air fryers should never be left unattended when in use, and when using them, we advise that they are in a ventilated area and not used under a cupboard or overhead cabinet.”

“Never overfill them, clean it after every use, and never plug an air fryer, or any appliance for that matter, into an extension lead.”

“Finally, I want to remind occupants to never fight a fire themselves – get out, stay out, and call 999.”

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 reported sprinkler activation involving student accommodation supports this evidence.

Our gratitude to Nottingham Fire Rescue Service, Nationwide Sprinklers Ltd for rising to 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.

Demonstrating the vital role sprinklers play in fire safety arrangements by highlighting real life tangible examples of where they have actuated and in doing so saved life and protected property. 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.

Background

This is the fourth reported sprinkler save reported by Nottingham Fire Rescue Service in the past 12 months with 3 of the incidents involving student accommodation. On each occasion the fire was contained/controlled or extinguished by the activation of the sprinkler system providing further evidence that the operation of a correctly designed and installed residential life safety sprinkler system installed, maintained in accordance with the appropriate codes and standards reduces the rate of production of heat and smoke, allowing more time for the occupants to escape or be rescued.

Student Accommodation

The danger of student accommodation fires cannot be underestimated as this was clearly demonstrated following the fire in Bolton involving the premises known as the ‘Cube’ November 2019. The speed with which the fire took hold and the devastating impact it had on the building was shocking, sprinklers were not fitted. 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.

London Fire Brigade reported that over the past 5 years London firefighters have attended more than 1,200 cooking-related fires and false alarms in university students’ halls involving kitchen activities, unattended cooking which can escalate into a fire.

Legislation

Regulatory guidance for England includes a specific requirement to install sprinklers in purpose group 1a (residential block of flats) with a top floor height of 11 metres above ground level this guidance does not apply to student halls of residence regardless of height.

England’s national building and fire safety regulations trail behind its neighbours, governments in other UK jurisdictions who have set lower mandatory thresholds for the installation of sprinklers in new purpose-built student accommodation. Following the introduction of new fire regulations within Northern Ireland, fire sprinklers are now required in within student accommodation with a storey more than 11m above ground level which will come into effect on 6 May 2025

It is the view of British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (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. The Government should be looking to emulate the policies in the devolved governments to support unitary policy across nations by lowering or removing the acceptable height, floor area, or occupancy threshold dependent on building type.

The premises/sprinkler system

• Nottinghamshire Student accommodation (timber framed construction) of 4 floor
• Protected by a life safety residential sprinkler system as part of a package of fire safety measures.
• Specification, BS9251:2005
  1. Sprinkler head VK457 concealed pendent sprinkler
  2. Water supply Pump/tank 30-minute suppl

Image of one of the VK457 concealed sprinkler pendant heads which actuated

The Incident

• Firefighters were mobilised to a student accommodation block fire.
• On arrival firefighters established the fire involved an electric air fryer
• Extinguished by the activation of two sprinkler heads located within the open plan communal kitchen.
• The occupants self-evacuated with one casualty treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
• The intensity of the heat from the fire activated a further sprinkler head disengaging the cover plate only.
• Fire damage was contained to the air fryer, kitchen worktop, cupboard area due to the activation of the sprinkler system which prevented the fire from spreading from the compartment of origin.
• 1x Carbon dioxide extinguish was used to extinguish a hot spot located beneath the kitchen cupboard

Images credit Nationwide Sprinklers Ltd

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

• Reducing the rate of heat and smoke, containing and controlling the fire
• Reducing the likelihood of a fire spreading beyond the room of origin
• Firefighters operated without due risk to either effect rescue or assist evacuation
• Prevent conflagration

When comparing this incident to a similar air fryer kitchen fire in Weymouth in December 2024 where the premises was not sprinkler protected, the difference is startling, the kitchen was severely damaged by the fire.

No Sprinklers                                                                        Sprinklers

Image credit Dorset and Wiltshire FRS                                                                 image credit Nationwide Fire Sprinklers Ltd

The images reaffirm the benefits of installing a residential life safety sprinkler system for sleeping accommodation preventing the fire from spreading from the compartment of origin.

Premises Emergency Plan

It was refreshing that that the emergency plan for this incident allowed for 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.

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.

Reinstatement of the Fire Protection Measures

• It is paramount that fire protection measures in buildings can function effectively in the event of a fire, to achieve this the premises emergency plan should include that arrangements are in place allowing the immediate reinstatement of the sprinkler system.
• 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.
• 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.
• The emergency plan, provisions were in place allowing the sprinkler system to be reinstated at the conclusion of the incident.

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 assist evacuation, effect rescue when necessary
• Prevent conflagration

Air Fryers

Are a relatively new cooking appliance being used in our homes, Aviva insurance have published guidance urging people to exercise caution after a new survey revealed nearly one in five Uk adults (19%) have encountered potential or actual fire hazards in their homes due to air fryers.

Reaffirmed following recent reports of a recent fire involving an air fryer in Bournemouth extinguished by the activation of the premises sprinkler system. The cause of the fire was caused by its owner who set it alight trying a cleaning hack they saw on TikTok.

Further research of the incident primary fire data is required to identify a trend on the benefits of sprinklers involving air fryer fires attended by FRS in which sprinklers were present, having an impact. Due to the limitations of the Incident recording system, it is not possible to record ‘air fryer’ as an ignition source for fires.

Sources/further reading

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2023/2024
• ¹Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service data 
• NFCC AFSS Position Statement
• Dorset and Wiltshire FRS kitchen air fryer fire
• LFB Press release 1200 Cooking related fires and false alarms in student accommodation
• BBC TikTok air fryer ‘hack’ blamed for fire
• Aviva issues fire warning around air fryer habits
• NFRS Press Release

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.