NEWS Sprinklers on the agenda after recent fires
A SERIES of destructive fires over the summer were notable by the lack of sprinklers in a series of different types of building, with London Fire Brigade (LFB) reiterating its concerns over the lack of sprinklers in schools.
Hotel had no sprinklers
Most notable among the fires in August was the blaze at the Holiday Inn in Walsall, which burnt down and was found to have had no sprinklers fitted despite recommendations by the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS). Birmingham Mail reported
on the aftermath of the fire on 2 August, with most of the hotel building – positioned next to the M6 motorway – ‘consumed’ by fire. At the height of the fire there were around 50 WMFS attending, plus 19 appliances, six response vehicles and three aerial platforms. Investigators were ‘satisfied’ that the fire began accidentally in the hotel’s sauna, but WMFS had previously recommended that the hotel should have sprinklers fitted. Gary Taylor, WMFS’ assistant chief
fire officer, stated: ‘The premises were not fitted with fire sprinklers but, previously, our fire safety officers had recommended they be retro-fitted in line with our Fire Authority’s position. Our fire investigators believe that the fire started accidentally, in the sauna room. However, we will be carrying out further investigations to try to pinpoint the precise cause. ‘We will also be looking in
detail into factors that might have contributed to the spread and scale of the fire. This incident is a stark reminder to us all about the devastating impact a fire can have. It underlines the importance of businesses having up-to-date fire safety procedures, and of their staff, guests and visitors familiarising themselves with escape routes as an absolute priority.’ He added of the operation:
‘Our Fire Control received a 999 call from the Holiday Inn at 3.54pm to a report of an electrical fire in the sauna. Two fire engines were
mobilised within 42 seconds, as part of our pre-planned initial response to the site. ‘The first crews arrived in under
four minutes. Two teams of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus immediately entered the building to fight the fire. However, the fire had already entered the roof space. Shortly afterwards it spread to other parts of the building. Fortunately, the premises were successfully evacuated and so our crews tackled the fire from outside. The roof had completely collapsed and we had real concerns about the stability of the remaining structure.’
MP demands fire answers
Later that month, the Beechmere retirement complex was destroyed in a fire in Crewe, and Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) revealed that the building was not fitted with sprinklers. ITV News reported on the fire at the complex, which saw 150 residents evacuated, and the blaze requiring a maximum of 16 appliances at its height. After the fire destroyed most of the building, a demolition crew was requested to assist in demolishing areas that were ‘no longer structurally stable’. The home had only recently celebrated its tenth anniversary. CFRS was now investigating the cause of the fire. On the investigation, the news outlet noted that 'whether the
12 OCTOBER 2019
www.frmjournal.com
building adhered to regulation will form part’ of the investigation, while one of its reporters asked chief fire officer Gus O’Rourke whether the building had been fitted with sprinklers. He responded that ‘it had no sprinkler system’, adding that ‘the building should have adhered to the current legislation on fire protection and compartmentation’. Mr O’Rourke also pointed out
that he ‘would not have expected the fire to go through this building as quickly as it did’, and ITV News noted in turn that firefighters had stayed on site throughout the weekend, with a number of road closures expected. A CFRS statement added: ‘Our
firefighters have been working extremely hard to tackle the fire at Beechmere, Crewe. They worked throughout the night, all day today, and will remain attendance until the fire is fully extinguished. Our main priority is the safety of the local community and due to the structural stability of the building, the safety cordon will remain in place. Unfortunately, this means that residents who were evacuated from their homes may not be able to return tonight.’ Cheshire Live later reported on local MP Laura Smith’s response to the fire, in which she commented that ‘serious questions need answering’. The news outlet had contacted building owner Avantage to ask why sprinklers had not been
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