As reported by the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA), a recent fire in a third-floor flat within a 17-storey residential block in London was successfully contained by the building’s sprinkler system, preventing what could have been a far more serious incident.

The fire is believed to have started accidentally when cooking oil ignited in a pan in the open-plan kitchen and lounge area. One occupant evacuated safely prior to the arrival of crews from London Fire Brigade.

Two concealed sprinkler heads activated in response to rising temperatures at ceiling level. As heat from the fire intensified, the cover plate of the sprinkler closest to the seat of the fire detached, releasing the deflector plate. Continued exposure to heat caused the liquid within the sprinkler’s glass bulb to expand until it fractured, allowing water to discharge. 

Water was then distributed through the deflector in a controlled, uniform spray pattern directly over the fire. This automatic response suppressed and contained the fire at an early stage and significantly limited its development.

Clear evidence of effectiveness
The effectiveness of the sprinkler system was evident at the scene. The kitchen extractor fan located directly above the fire was completely destroyed and smoke staining was visible at ceiling level and on adjacent wall units. However, a clearly defined circular spray pattern around the activated sprinkler head demonstrated where water discharge had prevented smoke and hot gases from spreading further across the ceiling.

Fire damage was confined to the immediate area of origin, substantially reducing the risk of fire spread within the flat or to other parts of the building. Once firefighters had confirmed full extinguishment, the sprinkler system serving the individual dwelling was isolated.

The system had been installed in accordance with BS 9251, the Code of Practice for Fire Sprinkler Systems in Domestic and Residential Occupancies, and was supplied via a shared cold-water booster main.

Operational evidence of life safety benefits
This incident provides powerful operational evidence of the life-saving and property-protecting benefits of residential sprinkler systems. In a 17-storey building, an uncontrolled kitchen fire has the potential to develop rapidly, threatening multiple floors and placing residents and responding firefighters at significant risk. In this case, the sprinkler system operated as designed and intervened automatically, controlling the fire at source and preventing escalation.

The Government’s 2020 decision to reduce the height threshold for mandatory sprinkler protection in new residential buildings from 30 metres to 11 metres was an important and welcome step forward. However, many existing residential buildings remain without this critical layer of protection.

Incidents such as this underline the continued need to promote and retrofit effective fire suppression measures in residential settings to enhance life safety and property protection.

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