Grenfell Tower Inquiry final report published
On 4 September the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry was published. Made up of seven volumes, it is 1,700 pages, with the summary alone being 50 pages. 58 recommendations are made and the same day the UK government
Uk Government requires sprinklers in care homes and allows CE-marking for construction products
Today Rushanara Ali, the new Minister for Building Safety and Homelessness, issued a written statement to announce among other things that sprinklers are to be required in care homes in England. The requirement will take effect from March 2025. Sprinklers
FSI 2024 a huge success!
On 24-25 April 415 delegates gathered at Croke Park stadium in Dublin for Fire Sprinkler International 2024. Opened by Dennis Keeley, the Dublin Fire Chief, over 40 presentations addressed the latest innovations in water-based fire protection, progress in fire codes
Norwegian sprinkler market down in 2023
Along with falls in construction activity and new building permits, the sprinkler market declined in most European countries in 2023. Norway is one of two countries to publish statistics. These are collected by Brannteknisk Forening, the Norwegian fire protection trade
Another fatal care home fire in Germany
German media report that a fire in the Haus Simon home for the elderly in Bedburg-Hau near the Dutch border early on the 4th March killed four residents and led to 24 others going to hospital, including a policeman, fire
Another strong year for sprinklers in Sweden
Sprinklerfrämjandet, the Swedish sprinkler association, has published statistics on the numbers of sprinklers and related system components sold in Sweden in 2023. The analysis began in 1980 and shows clear market growth since then. 868,891 sprinklers were sold in 2023,
Valencia high-rise fire kills 10
National and international media widely covered the awful fire in two high-rise buildings in Valencia on 22 February. 10 people are reported dead, with 14 more injured. The fire was reported to have started in a kitchen appliance on the
Care home fire in Madrid kills three residents and hospitalises 15
Spanish media report that a fire in a care home in Aravaca, an upmarket area in west Madrid, killed three elderly people and hospitalised 15 more of the 38 residents. The fire was reported at seven in the morning, when
Congratulations to BAFSA on its 50th anniversary!
BAFSA, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, celebrated its 50th anniversary this month. In that time the UK sprinkler industry has doubled in size, with a much higher proportion of new buildings now protected with sprinklers. BAFSA, working with the
Call for a European Fire Safety Strategy
Members of the European Parliament and many fire safety groups have come together to call for a European strategy on fire safety. The diffierent European bodies do not coordinate efforts to improve fire safety in Europe. While building regulations is