Warwickshire Supermarket Superstore Sprinkler Activation

Matthew Pardoe, Warwickshire Fire Rescue Service Station Manager

“If it was not for the prompt activation of the store sprinkler system containing, controlling and in this case extinguishing the fire, we could be discussing a different outcome for this incident. These types of premises contain high fire loading with unique fire hazards due to the large amounts of stock stored on site increasing the risk of rapid fire spread in the event of a fire. The benefits of sprinklers should not be underestimated they save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters.”

Our gratitude to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for rising 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.

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.

The Incident

• Date of Incident January 2025
• Property type; Shop and Commercial (Large Supermarket)
• Incident; Fire
• Location of fire; toilet area
• Automatic Fire Suppression System; Sprinklers

Two fire appliances were mobilised following the manual activation of the premises fire alarm by staff who discovered a fire adjacent to the first-floor toilets. The premises emergency plan was immediately implemented with the store evacuated with no injuries reported before the arrival of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.

On arrival, the incident commander completed a dynamic risk assessment establishing that a fire had been extinguished on the first floor of the premises by the premises sprinkler system, further firefighting media was not required to be applied by operational crews. Enquires are ongoing by Warwickshire Police to establish the cause of the fire.

Disappointingly, once again no mention was made in the local press regarding the positive role of the sprinkler system which allowed a successful conclusion to this incident. The danger of supermarket fires should not be underestimated, firefighters in Gloucester were put at risk when tackling superstore fire in 1996 in Staple Hill which sadly resulted in the loss of life firefighter Fleur Bard, on this occasion sprinklers were not fitted.

At present it is still not compulsory to install fire sprinkler systems in new single-storey supermarkets and superstores, Part B of the building regulations requires the installation of sprinklers in uncompartmented areas of shops or self-storage buildings of more than 2000 square metres.

The following advice is intended for building managers, individuals who have responsibility for fire safety within a building.

Premises Emergency Plan

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.

The provision of a robust emergency plan will allow 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.

• Sprinkler Saves Review 2023/2024
• Sprinkler Saves Summer Update No 6
• BAFSA Information file, A guide for Responsible Persons and Duty Holder.
• Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Fire safety sprinkler systems
• NFCC Sprinkler Saves