Fire Industry News for April 2023
The fault in question is from broken protected earth and neutral (PEN) conductors, which are typically used to make a circuit via exposed metalwork such as gas, water, and oil pipes. These conductors are used on the Protective Multiple Earthing or PME (TN-C-S) network, which was introduced in the 1970s as a self-monitoring system to improve safety and “provide (an) easy indication if a fault were to occur with the combined neutral and protective conductor”. Author's quote Head of...
The sudden evacuation – where residents left their flats at 10 o’clock in the evening – came after a new report was received by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), which detailed a number of fire safety concerns on the upper floors of the Cardinal Lofts block of flats that make it “currently unsafe for occupation”. As a result, SFRS issued a Prohibition Notice for part of the building – affecting only 15 apartments in total – with no impact o...
Fire and rescue services have been responding to calls of ‘large-scale’ fires at industrial estates across the UK this past week, demonstrating their vital role in keeping residents safe. large-scale fire On the evening of 18 November 2022, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) sent crews to tackle a fire that broke out at a disused warehouse in the town of Ryton, in Gateshead. Described as a ‘large-scale’ fire, eight fire appliances and 40 firefighters at...
Argon is a colorless, odorless monatomic gas with a density 1.4 times of air and 10 times helium. Argon is an inert gas that does not react chemically with other substances at normal temperatures and is insoluble in liquid metals at high temperatures. It has the greatest advantage in welding non-ferrous metals. It can be used for bulb filling and arc welding of stainless steel, magnesium, aluminum, etc., that is, "argon arc welding". welding shielding gas Argon is a rare gas widely used in in...
With an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons, Hempel’s new factory in Yangtze International Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang will be the company’s largest production site in the region. It will be inaugurated in 2022, replacing Hempel’s existing production facilities in Kunshan. A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site, led by Michael Mei, Group Vice President of Hempel in North Asia. “China is a growing market for Hempel that will continue to gr...
A recent fire incident in Greenock where a child nearly died has seen Scottish emergency service officials highlight the danger of combustible waste being left in tenement closes. Murdo Henderson, Inverclyde group commander for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has raised concerns over dangerous and flammable items being left in these areas, saying "It is an ongoing issue that we have a great concern about." Hospital for smoke inhalation With no specific legislation that they are ab...
A fire that broke out at an industrial estate near Rotherham is still issuing toxic smoke from burning waste eight weeks later. The warehouse at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, which stores a mixture of domestic and industrial waste, caught fire in the early hours of 21 September 2022. However, it appears that fire crews are still struggling to completely extinguish hotspots within the waste piles, mainly due to the amount of waste that has been stored there. fire suppression When...
Senior Associate Trainer for the FPA, and one of the longest-serving trainers at the company, Mike Floyd has been shortlisted for a Lifetime Achievement Award. Organized by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) as part of its annual ASFP Awards, the incredible accolade is given to those individuals who have demonstrated ‘exceptional practice over a significant period.’ In particular, they will have made a lasting impact on people, organizations, or companies with a...
A company and its former director have been ordered to pay more than £100,000 due to an insufficient fire risk assessment at a block of flats in Portsmouth. The Enforcement Support Team at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) first became aware of the inadequate fire safety checks at Forbes Court, in Hilsea, Portsmouth, in 2017. Fire risk assessment After being alerted to the issue, the property management company responsible for the three-storey block of flats r...
UL Solutions, a pioneer in applied safety science, in partnership with the FPA, opened a new fire resistance testing laboratory for building products and systems, doors and windows, fire stopping, joint systems, and related fire resistance products. Located at the FPA’s testing laboratory in Blockley, Gloucestershire, the facility features fire resistance test furnaces, funded by UL Solutions, that will benefit manufacturers from the UK, Europe, and worldwide who require independent fire...
Entitled Closing data gaps and paving the way for pan-European fire safety efforts, the report offers a useful overview of the situation of managing fire safety statistics in Europe and internationally. Additionally, it identifies "potential ways forward for further harmonization and cross-learning between different countries." It is hoped that the report will highlight the variations in fire safety measures that currently exist on an international level and offer a more unified approach t...
This past week has seen two serious fires impact high-rise buildings in New York and Dubai, highlighting the continued dangers of lithium-ion battery charging and cladding issues. On the morning of 5 November, a significant fire broke out at an apartment building in Manhattan after a charging e-bike battery malfunctioned. The spreading fire and smoke prevented people from escaping, meaning firefighters had to perform a daring rope rescue, as footage showed residents hanging out apartment window...
Overcoming barriers, breaking glass ceilings, and gaining a seat at the table: were the sentiments of the extraordinary group of women who attended the WIFS Awards on Thursday 10 November. The 300-strong guest list at the glamorous black-tie event gathered men and women who have spent years shaping the fire safety industry into what it is, alongside those who are just starting out and already have much to be proud of. Organized by Chloe Vickery and Kate Blake to tackle the histor...
During a House of Commons debate on the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, Michael Gove, agreed that the government should re-examine its stance on personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for disabled people. At a second reading of the bill on 7 November 2022, Michael Gove noted that work still needed to be done on building safety overall, adding that the outstanding concern over PEEPs was a ‘difficult and sensitive que...
The announcement was made by Chief Financial Officer, Mike Scott, who spoke at Barratt Homes’ annual general meeting (AGM) on 17 October 2022. The developer is one of 49 firms that signed up to the building safety pledge set out by the Department for Leveling Up, Housing, and Communities earlier this year. Barratt Homes’ financial accounts The purpose of the pledge was to protect leaseholders from the costs of remediation of fire safety defects and hold the industry accountable. Th...
Flames engulfed a former care home near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, on 5 November 2022, with crews from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (WSFRS) sharing video footage of the blaze surrounding the derelict structure, which was in danger of collapse. Three fire crews and 10 fire appliances were dispatched when flames were spotted emerging from the former care home at 7 pm. At its height, 50 firefighters were in attendance alongside support officers. Multi-Agency response The service describ...
For the first time, coatings manufacturer - Hempel A/S participates in the UN climate summit COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Hempel joins the summit to support and push for accelerated decarbonization, especially in the maritime and renewable energy industries. Addressing climate crisis “The climate crisis is an urgent global challenge. Nobody can stand alone in this. I am proud that Hempel is at COP27 to take part in conversations about how we can accelerate moving the needle toward a...
In January 2018, the national regulator for workplace health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), investigated Regent House, which is located in Brentwood, Essex, after a concern was raised that people were sleeping on the site. In addition to health and safety concerns, it was found that S&S Quality Building Contractors Limited had breached several fire management regulations and had put workers – along with members of the public who were visiting show flats o...
Launched on 24 October 2022, a new consultation is seeking responses for a new suite of technical National Occupational Standards (NOS) for those working with fire and smoke control dampers. Spearheaded by Building Services Engineering (BSE) Skills, in partnership with the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), the draft NOS documents are directed towards those individuals working with fire dampers and smoke control dampers across the UK. Developing occupational standards Described...
A large fire broke out at a recycling center and waste depot in Kingsway, Luton, on the morning of 29 October 2022, leading to the evacuation of around eight homes and a block of flats. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) called in nine fire appliances and adjoining crews to tackle the fire at the recycling center. Around 60 residents had to leave their homes, while other residents were asked to keep their windows closed due to smoke. Important council service Councillor Tom Shaw, who...
The Environment Services Association (ESA) has launched it's latest ‘Take Charge’ recycling campaign to counter the rising number of fires caused by batteries that have not been disposed of correctly. recycle batteries First launched in 2020, the campaign aims to warn consumers of the dangers related to ‘zombie’ batteries, which can be a potential fire risk if they are thrown away alongside residual waste or via other recycling methods. Instead, it urges consumers to r...
A hotel company has been ordered to pay £16,590 in fines and costs for breaching fire safety regulations and potentially putting lives at risk. Union and Western Hotels Ltd, the company that runs the Union Hotel in Penzance, has been fined after pleading guilty to failing to meet fire safety regulations. fire safety failings It comes after a fire safety inspection, conducted in October 2020, saw officers from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) uncover several fire safet...
A fire that broke out at Slough bus station in the early hours of 29 October 2022 is being investigated by Thames Valley Police. Six fire appliances from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) attended the blaze that spread across the entire roof of Slough bus station. Aerial ladder platform deployed Tim Readings, the Group Manager for RBFRS, confirmed that the fire was 20m by 40m in scale, “When they got there, it was a very well-developed fire, the bus was already well-alight...
A takeaway franchisee and employer who allowed people to sleep in dangerous conditions, have been fined by a court and ordered to pay £15,400 in costs. In December 2018 Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) building fire safety inspectors visited Jano Jabbarkhel and Sharbat Khan Jabarkhail at Tops Pizza in Lower Stone Street, Maidstone. prohibition notice They were issued with a prohibition notice to prevent anyone from living on the property, due to safety concerns linked to the la...
Global coatings manufacturer - Hempel announces that its Hempafire Pro 400 passive fire protection coating has been certified according to the EN13381-8 standard and granted the CE mark, complementing the already existing BS-476 and ApplusFire certifications. Hempafire Pro 400 maintains the stability of steel structures in the event of a cellulosic fire for up to 120 minutes and brings users a number of efficiency benefits. Passive fire protection (PFP) coatings insulate steel against high hea...
The owners of a care home have been fined £60,000 for breaching fire safety regulations after a 90-year-old resident accidentally set fire to himself while smoking. Ashberry Healthcare Ltd, the former owner of Heathercroft Care Home in Woolston, was charged with failing to comply with the Fire Safety (Regulatory Reform) Order 2005 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 11 October 2022. Outside smoking shelter It follows a tragic incident that occurred in May 2018, when resident Henry...
A hotel owner has been fined £50,000 for continuing to allow guests to check in to his East London hotel despite being issued with a prohibition notice for serious fire safety failings. deficiency in fire safety When inspectors from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) first visited The Bank Hotel in Barking in May 2018, they saw numerous examples of deficiencies in fire safety regulations that were enough to warrant a prohibition notice. Some of these included a lack of fire doors, no smoke de...
With EV sales expected to increase drastically in the next few years, there are growing concerns in the firefighting community about how to deal with EV fires. Cause of concern One area of concern is EVs that have been flooded by salt water. According to the NHTSA, residual salt within the battery or battery components can form conductive “bridges” that can lead to short circuits and self-heating of the battery, resulting in fires. The time frame in which a damaged battery can...
Footage of major fires erupting in Istanbul, Turkey, and Islamabad, Pakistan, has reinforced the dangers of combustible materials being used in many high-rise buildings. On 15 October 2022, a massive fire engulfed a residential building in Fikirtepe, in the Kadiköy district of Istanbul. Building evacuation While fire crews tackled the rising blaze, residents were required to evacuate the building via the stairs as the elevators were not working. Local Turkish news, Oda TV, r...
An updated version of the Emergency Operations Center How-to Quick Reference Guide PDF has been released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to replace the version released in August 2021. This all-hazards guide can provide state, local, tribal and territorial jurisdictions with information and guidance related to Emergency Operations Center (EOC) set up, operation, maintenance and deactivation. Tribal and territorial jurisdictions While all jurisdictions have their own unique...
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