Water Mist Activation Extinguishes Scotland Residential High-Rise Fire

 ¹Stuart Stevens, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Chief Officer, said:

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service welcome the amended regulations and the increased provision of automatic fire suppression systems. This provision is a significant step forward in fire safety and will increase the safety of our communities, residents and firefighters.”

Summary

In November 2025, the Scottish Fire Rescue Service (SFRS) responded to a fire in a second-floor flat of a 11-storey high-rise residential building. The fire involving a chip pan was contained and extinguished before the arrival of SFRS following the activation of the building’s water mist system. Two residents sustained minor injuries.

The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) welcomed the Scottish Government decision in 2020 requiring all new build social homes, flats, and shared multi-occupied residential buildings in Scotland to be fitted with Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) from March 2021. Previously, this was only required in new purpose-built block of flats above 18m. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding the lack of requirements to retrofit existing residential buildings with sprinklers.

This incident provides further supporting evidence of the benefits of AFSS to under pin the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association’s (BAFSA) advocacy, turning operational evidence into persuasive tools for policy and parliamentary engagement, and reinforcing the case for the retrofitting of sprinklers systems in high-rise residential blocks of flats.

Supporting our campaign to increase the presence of AWSS within the built environment by highlighting real life, tangible examples of where AWSS were present and had an impact. As such, each of these stories provides powerful evidence of the ability of AWSS protecting our communities from fire.

The Incident

• A fire originated in the kitchen as a result of a chip pan containing cooking oil.
• Upon entry to the flat, firefighters established that the fire had been controlled, contained, and extinguished by the activation of 1 nozzle head.
• Total property area damaged by fire was reported to be under 5M² with post fire ventilation completed by SFRS.
• Two residents sustained minor injuries.
• Minor water egress was reported effecting the flat of origin and premises below the fire requiring the premises electrics to be made safe.

Conclusion

This incident reinforces the benefits of AWSS, in this case water mist which can be used as a form of suppression in buildings where there is an appropriate test protocol in accordance with the relevant standard. Playing a significant role as part of a package of fire safety measures, reducing the impact of fire on people, firefighters, property and the environment. Sprinkler Saves UK promotes the reporting of all types of fire suppression systems.

It is noteworthy to learn about the effective activation of a water mist system which successfully achieved its intended functional objectives.

• Reducing the rate of production of heat and smoke limiting fire growth and ultimately extinguishing the fire.
• Limited the development of the fire to the room of origin.

If it was for the decision by North Ayrshire Council’s decision to upgrade and retrofit an Automatic Fire Suppression System (AFSS) in this building the outcome of this could have been so much different.

BAFSA has published a²guide which provides detailed information on the types of water mist systems available, how they can be used and how to choose the most appropriate one for the selected application.

Watermist and sprinkler system-a look at the trends

The ³Sprinklers Saves Review 2024/2025, references an article analysing AWSS trends. The report provides insight into the prevalence of AWSS across the country stock by examining primary fire data that recorded the presence and impact of 1764 incidents involving sprinklers, water mist for the period 2018/19 through 2023/24.

For dwelling fires, the data highlighted that the overall trend for water mist is flat with 49 activations over the six-year period compared to sprinklers with 619.

Effective advocacy and policy lobbying

Require the collection of robust supporting evidence. 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.

References, Sources

• ¹Scottish Government News, Improved fire safety for new flats and social homes.
• ^{2Water Mist Technical Guide}
• ³Sprinkler Saves Review 2024/2025
• Sprinkler Saves Winter Update
• Scottish Fire Rescue Service, Fire Sprinkler Systems
• National Fire Chiefs Council AWSS Position Statement
• National Fire Sprinkler Network Winter Newsletter