| In the incident, a flat fire was virtually extinguished by a sprinkler system |
Recently East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service received a call from a resident in Warrior Square, Hastings, who was concerned about a smell of smoke. Two fire appliances were dispatched to the building and upon arrival, discovered a fire in the basement flat.
The fire, which had started in the bedroom of the property, had been virtually extinguished by a sprinkler system, which had been fitted as part of a recent refurbishment.
The flat was unoccupied at the time of the fire and without the intervention of the sprinkler system, the fire could have spread, causing untold damage to the property and threatening the rest of the occupants and flats within the building.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the flat to finish extinguishing the blaze and ventilate the property. The building was also fitted with a fire alarm system, which had successfully raised the alarm throughout the building, allowing the other occupants to escape quickly and safely. The sprinkler system was quickly reinstated, ensuring the whole building was once again fully protected from fire.
Adrian Brown, Director of Prevention & Protection said, "Once again we see the benefits of having a properly installed and working sprinkler system, there are many myths about sprinklers, the reality is they save lives and property as we have seen in this instance. This incident demonstrates why the Fire & Rescue Service are keen promoters of sprinklers."
The sprinkler system was quickly reinstated after the incident, ensuring the whole building was once again fully protected from fire.