Date: 21st March, 2017
Last week, automatic sprinklers helped save a Chippenham business after a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning (16 March) in Parsonage Way.
Fire crews from Chippenham and Corsham were alerted and quickly on the scene. The fire was brought under control by just one sprinkler head and two fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus, using a hose reel jet to extinguish the remaining small fire. The fire was extinguished and area ventilated within 30 minutes of the first crew arriving on scene.
There is clear evidence that sprinklers can be effective in rapidly controlling and stopping the spread of fires. This activation has been the second successful example in the past few months where an automatic sprinkler system has greatly reduced fire damage in a commercial unit in Chippenham.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service actively promotes the inclusion of fire sprinklers within homes as well as in commercial or public buildings, such as schools and continues to support developers and work with local authority building control departments to consider the use of sprinklers where appropriate.
Head of Fire Safety, Seth Why said: “Automatic sprinkler systems in both commercial and residential properties are one of, if not the best way to suppress a fire at the earliest opportunity, giving us valuable time to attend the scene and extinguish the fire. On this occasion the premises were able to return to normal business the following day.”
For more information about the life saving benefits of sprinklers can be found on the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue website www.dwfire.org.uk