NOVEMBER INDUSTRIAL FIRES HIGHLIGHT THE CASE FOR SPRINKLER PROTECTION

A fire at an industrial building on 5th November in Ramsgate required six crews and a bulk water carrier to bring under control. The site, home to plastics manufacturer Flambeau Europe, had already faced significant disruption earlier this year following a break-in that damaged power supplies and temporarily halted production. The previous day, ten fire engines and 70 firefighters worked through the night to contain a major industrial fire in Greenwich. The fire at Vetraland Timber Merchants led to local road and tunnel closures as well as smoke warnings. At the same time in Northern Ireland, a late night blaze at a recycling facility in Belfast required more than 50 firefighters who were supported by eight appliances, an aerial platform, water tanker and a command support unit. The incident involved a large amount of scrap metal and caused significant disruption.

According to the most recent fire statistics from the last decade for England, industrial premises were the setting for 19,761 primary fires, resulting in 1,071 casualties and 23 fatalities.1 This is the highest number of fatalities outside of residential settings, underlining the vulnerability of these buildings and those within them.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported in these incidents, however the scale of the response for the three fires was significant. These fires required the mobilisation of more than 150 firefighters, extensive fire control assets, halting industrial activity and

causing widespread disruption. While the Ramsgate site covered around 12,000m2, the fire was contained to approximately 2,000m2. Despite this, all three affected sites sustained serious damage. These events are a stark reminder of the consequences of failing to invest in proven fire protection systems.

Containing a fire at its earliest stage is the best way to limit damage and minimise costs and impacts. Sprinklers have been proven to contain, control or extinguish fires in 99% of cases when caused to operate2. This rapid intervention allows the affected business to resume operations within hours, avoiding the wider economic and social costs.

“Time and time again, we are seeing the enormous strain that industrial fires place on both businesses and the emergency services,” said Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance. “These incidents don’t just destroy property and livelihoods, they tie up life-saving resources for hours, cause environmental harm, and disrupt communities. What is particularly concerning is that many larger facilities are being bult today, with similar fire risks but without sprinklers.”

These fires mirror a growing pattern across the UK where industrial and commercial premises, often packed with combustible materials or high-value machinery, lack basic fire suppression systems.

By contrast, incidents in sprinkler-protected buildings tend to be quickly contained or extinguished before the fire can escalate. This limits damage, preserves business continuity, and drastically reduces the strain on fire crews.

In the absence of sprinklers, every second counts, and every fire has potential to become a major incident. As these three November fires show, the consequences go far beyond the building itself. Fires in unsprinklered buildings continue to utilise considerable resources and still pose a serious threat to business resilience, jobs, and public safety.

While communities across the UK gathered to enjoy the annual Bonfire Night fireworks, the reality elsewhere was far from festive with industrial fires once again exposing the true cost of inadequate fire protection.

1https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables#non-dwelling-fires-attended

2Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service Data – Optimal Economics May 2017