Sprinkler Saves

In recent weeks there have been several devastating fires on premises which did not have the benefit of sprinkler protection. Below are a few incidents where the installation of sprinklers has saved lives and businesses:

Unprotected facilities

Biggleswade, Warehouse

A large blaze at a food warehouse was started when a refrigeration unit caught fire in a trailer parked next to the building.

Around 70 firefighters tackled the blaze at Bedfordshire Growers on Potton road in Biggleswade on 19^th April.

Firefighters were called to a lorry fire at Bedfordshire Growers shortly after 19:00 BST, when the fire spread to a warehouse measuring about 20 by 30m.

The Bedfordshire’s Fire Service group commander said:

We urge warehouse to ensure that vehicles are not parked adjacent to, or close to, property as any fires within these could spread to the main buildings.

Fitting an effective sprinkler system to buildings is essential, as in both cases sprinklers would have suppressed a fire and kept damage to a minimum.

Leicester, Warehouse

A blaze which tore through a warehouse and filled Leicester sky with smoke was caused by an electrical fault.

The property in Brougham Street, near St. Georges Island, erupted into flames at around 1pm on Friday, 13 April.

Around six fire engines and an aerial platform attended the fire when it was at its highest.

Sprinkler Saves

A sprinkler protected building can ensure business continuity, enhance safety of those within the building, and also reduce risk to firefighter’s lives. Below is just a few reports of successful sprinkler stops over the last month:

Coventry, Sainsburys

Sprinklers foil an arson attacks at Sainsburys store in Coventry on 1^st and 3^rd March 2018 at the beginning of March 2018 there were a series of malicious fires at the Sainsburys Canley retail store.  

The first fire took place at about 1055hrs on Thursday 1^st March and involved a rail of clothing within the store. 200+ people were safely evacuated and fire service crews extinguished the fire. Information received from attending fire service personnel has confirmed that one sprinkler head on the stores sprinkler system operated to contain the fire, limiting the damage to about 5m2.

The second fire occurred at about 1000hrs on Saturday 3^rd March. A total of 10 firefighters worked with hose reels to put out the blaze which took hold in the clothing department of the store. It was also reported that the sprinklers once again controlled the fire.

Hotel, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Four fire appliances form Newcastle, Byker and Gateshead Fire Stations attended a fire in the basement laundry room of the 11 storey Sandman Signature Hotel in Newcastle Upon Tyne at 20:38 hours on Wednesday 7^th March 2018. On arrival, firefighters discovered a laundry dryer on fire in the basement of the hotel which had automatically activated the buildings sprinkler system.

A single sprinkler head had suppressed the fire and prevented further fire and smoke spreading through the building and its contents. This was the fourth sprinkler activation at a non-domestic premises in Tyne and Wear in the previous 12 months.

Source: BAFSA Ltd

If you wish to discuss your Sprinkler system in more depth, or the possibility of installing a Sprinkler system please do not hesitate to contact us