Fire Sprinklers in Schools

With changing times schools are having to deal with more stringent fire regulations.

Nationwide Fire Sprinklers has now completed several fire sprinklers installations in schools.

Sprinklers can save millions of pounds by controlling a fire in its early stages.

2 Examples from the Governments Crime Reduction Site:- http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/arson/arson10.htm

"Arson at a School in Greater Manchester - Loss £1.5 million

This multi-storey 'system-built 'school is located in an area with a relatively low level of crime. The school had not suffered from any previous fires but incidents of vandalism had been encountered on a frequent basis. There was unrestricted access to the site with little boundary protection. The design and layout of the school created a number of vulnerable concealed recessed courtyard areas. Little existed in terms of compartmentation and fire stopping in voids. There was no automatic fire detection or sprinkler system.

A member of the Council's own security force discovered the fire at 03.12 hrs. upon responding to an intruder alarm activation. A severe fire was found in the maths/technology block of the school. By 03.30hrs, ten fire engines were at the scene. The fire completely destroyed the maths and technology block, which represented about 20%of the school classroom accommodation. The origin of the fire was found to be in a recessed courtyard to the rear of the block probably as a result of deliberate ignition by intruders"

"Arson at a School in the North -Loss £3.7 million

This was a single storey comprehensive school. The school had neither automatic fire detection nor a sprinkler system.

The fire was discovered by a caretaker at 22.20hrs. who, after hearing the intruder alarm activating, responded by inspecting the alarm control panel. Further investigation established that one part of the building was smoke logged. The fire brigade was called and arrived within 10 minutes. Investigations established that the fire had started in a doorway recess adjacent to a classroom and quickly spread to timber walling, entering the roof void at eaves level. The roof void had no fire breaks and the fire therefore spread at great speed engulfing all of the lower school. The fire was stopped at 03. 30 hrs, but not before the entire lower school had been gutted. Two children under 10 years of age were suspected by the police to be involved"

Unfortunately more and more schools are targets for arson.

Once a fire has developed to this intensity, it is going to do irreparable dame to the building structure and the amount of water required to be used by the fire services will also cause damage to neighbouring rooms.

See How to Combat Arson in Schools pdf 475 Kb
from the Arson Prevention Bureau

See also Student Accommodation

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