Do you still seek proof that fire sprinkler systems really do save life and property? Here it is.
A 27 June article in The Mirror describes a fire that could have resulted in tragedy in a flat at Manchester’s Barton Village. The fire was quickly extinguished thanks to a retrofit fire protection system installed in 2018 by Protect24 using BlazeMaster® CPVC piping and fittings and Springhead Sprinklers Ltd.
As reported in The Mirror, the blaze was caused by an elderly resident who had been smoking in bed. The sprinkler system responded as designed, dousing the fire, saving the resident’s life and preventing the fire from spreading within the 57-flat, 10-story tower block. The resident reportedly suffered minor burns; no one else was injured.
The article quotes a building management spokesman, Mark Lowe, Assets Director, ForHousing Group: “This single situation has made the investment worthwhile.”
We recently highlighted the Barton Village retrofit project in a BlazeMaster CPVC monthly eblast, outlining how the property’s residents were involved with the retrofit project from the start. Property management provided a liasion program that helped them understand the need for the program, the work schedule and the minimal inconvenience it would cause; and offered the ability to ask questions prior to and during the schedule.
Less than two years after that program was initiated and the work completed, it’s a given that all involved are thankful for the property management investment in a sprinkler system – truly a life-saving act.
Still a long way to go…
While we are happy to celebrate good news, we must face the fact that there is still a long way to go in terms of nationwide fire protection.
The Evening Standard wrote of the London Fire Commissioner’s concerns that more has not been done in terms of mandatory sprinklers in new residential buildings and more robust building regulations.
It’s difficult to believe that anyone would consider moving into a newly constructed tower block that has no fire protection system. Block owners and registered social landlords planning new projects owe it themselves and their future residents to require fire protection systems to be specified in the initial project design.
As for existing tower blocks, owners need look no further than Barton Village to fully comprehend what a retrofitted fire protection system can mean. It’s getting better, but there is still room for improvement.
Saving a Life – One Project at a Time
BlazeMaster CPVC is proud of the role it played in saving a life at Barton Village and in protecting life and property at many other new construction and retrofit projects throughout the UK. We work with only the best manufacturers and fire protection professionals for the simple reason that when life and property are on the line, our systems deliver as promised.
Barton Village residents and property managers fully understand that the investment made in 2018 in terms of time and money has more than paid off.
How can we help you save life and property?
