There have been a number of sprinkler saves recently recorded in The Netherlands and UK. Here is a selection:

Basement car park, Kingsway, London, UK

London Fire Brigade was called at 13:30 on 29th March to a fire in this central London underground car park. One car in the 6,500m2 car park had caught fire and set off a single sprinkler which prevented spread to other cars. Four fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus were able to complete extinguishment with a main jet. Fire-fighters were at the incident for 90 minutes.

Canalside, Redhill, UK

Surrey Fire & Rescue Service was called at 21:00 on 26th March to a fire in a ground floor flat in a two-storey block of 33 flats. The fire started when the occupant was melting wax in a saucepan to recycle candles. One concealed residential sprinkler head, fed by mains water, operated to extinguish the fire. The two occupants were unhurt, damage was limited to 8m2 of the flat and no fire-fighting was required by the fire brigade.

Fenstanton Primary School, Tulse Hill, London, UK

London Fire Brigade was called at 06:50 on 27th March to a fire a this newly constructed school. A fire had started in a gas boiler. A single sprinkler had operated to extinguish the fire. A spokesperson said, “The intervention of the sprinkler head to control the fire in the plant room was extremely effective in restricting damage to the boiler concerned. a second nearby boiler and all other machinery in the plant room was undamaged.” The school, which has 600 pupils and was built in 2013, was expected to be closed until the following day.

Waste recycling plant, Westbury, UK

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service reports that on the evening of 18th March it attended a fire at a new waste recycling plant at Northacre Industrial Estate, Westbury. Because the building was protected by sprinklers the fire was contained to one area, limiting the damage. Fire crews were quickly able to extinguish the fire. Station Manager Richard Humphrey said “The sprinkler system saved the day – a number of sprinkler heads were operating, containing the fire to one area. Six fire-fighters in breathing apparatus used water jets to surround and extinguish the fire. Fire-fighters then worked with the on-site team and their machinery to dig out and dampen down around 150 tonnes of household waste.”

Cinema, The Hague, Netherlands

Early on 9th March the fire brigade was called to a fire in the waste area of the Spuimarkt cinema. On arrival the crew found a fire in a large open container filled with construction waste. The sprinkler system controlled the fire. A second crew arrived in a vehicle with a towing arm to drag the container outside where it was extinguished.

Shopping centre, Basildon, UK

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service reports that it was called to a fire in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon, at 23:35 on 5th February. On arrival crews found that two sprinklers had operated in the unit, which was being used as a radio studio. The sprinklers contained and suppressed the fire, which was in an area of high fire load with plastics, electrical equipment and furniture.

Photographs courtesy of Essex County Fire & Rescue Service