How To Prevent Worryingly Common Building Fires

Strategies to Prevent Alarmingly Common Building Fires

Picture the scene: it’s November 2019 and we’re in Bolton. A university city - it’s home to over 10,000 students. At The Cube, a private accommodation option for pupils at Bolton University, at around 8:30 pm a fire breaks out.

The blaze devastated the upper floors of the seven-story building, destroying the vast majority of students’ belongings. People rush out of the building to the sounds of screams, wailing sirens and crackling flames to stand in the cold outside and watch their halls of residence literally go up in smoke.

Thankfully, there were no casualties at The Cube in Bolton. But it’s another news story that raises concerns about the fire safety of large, potentially older buildings. We’re not just talking about residential properties either. Many buildings that are at risk are in fact businesses and commercial developments.

In the case of The Cube in Bolton, the primary cause of the fire spreading was the exterior cladding on the building. But a more common and more easily fixed way for fires to spread is through the ductwork in the floors and ceiling of your building. Fire dampers are a simple, easy thing to maintain but incredibly easy to overlook. They stop fires spreading through ductwork by reacting to rising temperatures and shutting off sections of the ventilation system - stopping the fire in its tracks and preventing it from spreading further. BS9999 code of practice states that all fire dampers should be tested by a competent company every 12 months. Failure to do so could result in prosecution.

At System Hygienics, we take zero risks when it comes to fire safety. In the same month of The Cube’s fire, we visited Keele University in Staffordshire to carry our fire damper testing on 40 student housing and the campus building’s fire dampers, a huge project. Keele University recognised System Hygienics as respected throughout the industry and made the right call when it came to keeping their students safe.

If you are unsure as to whether the fire dampers in your building are working how they should, get in touch with System Hygienics - call 01323 481170 or email onlineenquiry@systemhygienics.co.uk. With over 25 years’ experience, you can trust us to keep your building and people safe.