Sprinkler system extinguishes London candle flat fire

Credit image RAD Fire Sprinklers

Summary

• In May 2026, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended a fire in a three-storey building converted into flats.
• The building’s sprinkler system, 12 years after staying dormant activated and promptly contained, controlled, and extinguished a small fire involving an unattended candle.
• Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
• This incident shows that sprinklers can control small domestic fires at an early stage reducing risk to life, limiting fire spread, preventing flashover, and minimising property damage.
• The ¹LFB renewed its candle safety warning after four fires in four days during the 2025 festive period severely damaged homes.

The Incident

• A fire started in a bedroom within a flat in a three-storey building that had been converted into flats involving an unattended candle located on a bedside plastic table adjacent to the bed, spreading to the bed mattress, headboard and window blinds.
• As the temperature from the fire increased the hot products of combustion within the fire plume reached the ceiling spreading out across the ceiling.
• Activating the concealed sprinkler head located above the bed, containing, controlling, and extinguishing the fire.
• The building sprinkler alarm and visual beacon in the lobby area activated raising a local alarm.
• No further firefighting was required following the attendance of the LFB.
• Following confirmation to the incident commander the fire was all out, the flat and floor isolation valves were isolated.
• Fire damage was limited to the room of origin.
• Minimal water egress was reported in the flat below, with minor decoration required for the ceiling.

The images identify.

• Water spray pattern visible on the underside of the ceiling.
• Wetting of walls visible from the water discharged from the activated sprinkler head
• The plastic table adjacent to the bed 100% damaged by the fire
• Fire spread contained, controlled and extinguished in the vicinity of the seat of the fire preventing flashover

Credit images RAD Fire Sprinklers

Specification of the sprinkler system

• Installed to comply with BS 9251:2005 Fire Sprinkler Systems for Domestic and Residential Occupancies – Code of Practice.
• Standard Residential
• Coverage flats only
• 30-minute duration with dedicated pump and tank
• Sprinkler heads replaced VK488

A further concealed sprinkler head within the room of origin had been painted over compromising the air gap between the cover plate and ceiling which is necessary for the sprinkler to operate correctly, fortunately on this occasion this action did not impact on the outcome of the incident.It is essential the occupiers/contractors are made aware of measures which may compromise the operation of the system, Southampton City Council for example have published a document for contractors, “working safely around sprinkler systems and preventing damage to avoid accidental discharge.

For change, increasing the presence of sprinklers in the built environment we need the evidence, to conduct effective advocacy and policy lobbying. If you have knowledge of a sprinkler incident that may contribute to this initiative, please provide the pertinent details using the sprinkler activation reporting form available at www.sprinklersaves.co.uk.

My thanks to both Rad Fire Sprinklers/LFB for reporting this incident allowing a comprehensive review to be published,

Sources/further reading

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2025/26
• Sprinkler Saves Spring update
• NFSN Newsletter
• ¹LFB Press release, warning after spate of candle fire over festive period
• ²Efficiency and Effectiveness of sprinkler systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service Data
• Southampton city council guidance for contractors working around sprinkler systems

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.

The Sprinkler Saves Review 2025/26 is now available click here to download your copy

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2025/26