A fire that broke out in a flat at Avon Reach in Middleton Road, Salisbury at 1059 on August 15th was extinguished when the sprinkler system activated – as a result, the fire damage was contained and there was minimal water damage.

Group Manager Tim Gray, Head of Fire Safety, said: “Because of the quick activation of sprinklers, not only did the occupier escape unharmed, the damage to the flat was minimal. Automatic sprinkler systems are one of the best ways to suppress a fire at the earliest opportunity. On this occasion, only one fire crew from Salisbury was required to attend, and no further firefighting was needed as the single sprinkler head had extinguished the fire, which was caused by lit tea lights being left on a windowsill before igniting the curtains.”

The Fire and Rescue Service supports developers and works with local authority building control departments to promote the use of sprinklers where possible.

There is currently no legislative requirement for sprinkler systems in residential premises, so the Service works with other organisations, including the National Fire Sprinkler Network, to promote sprinklers for both new builds and retrofitting.