Grenfell Fire Chief Calls For Sprinklers In Tower Blocks

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41148672

A case of the bleeding obvious if ever I saw one.

"A BBC Breakfast investigation which focused on half the UK's council and housing association-owned tower blocks found that just 2% have full sprinkler systems."

In other words, 98% don't.

[Zacs-Master]

It's the building regs which need amending. The problem with sprinklers is that they are susceptible to being triggered by things other than a real fire, and they are pretty damaging to property. Vandalism is also an issue. All better than a loss of life, I'll grant you, but they're not without their problems.

[naomi24]

//Roy Wilsher, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said …..that if the fire spread up the outside of a high-rise, as it is reported to have done at Grenfell Tower, then sprinklers might not have made a difference.//

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40293035

That’s not to say sprinklers shouldn’t be installed, of course, just that in buildings constructed with inflammable materials, they aren’t a guarantee of safety. I don't think there's any doubt that the cladding was responsible for the Grenfell disaster.

[EDDIE51]

I 100% agree, the problem is as was said before when the Grenfell fire happened.
A lot of tower blocks, probably most, are not suitable for sprinkler systems. The only effective option is to have a tank with 200 or more tonnes of water on the roof. Many tower blocks are just not constructed to carry the extra weight. Pumps can fail if there is no electricity and it needs multistage pumps to get water under sufficient pressure up to 15 or more stories, then there is the chance of a water mains burst to add in.

[EDDIE51]

Even worse is the information in the link, that 68% have just one staircase (which often also has the gas main in it )as the only escape route in the event of fire. Deathtraps is the only way to describe them.
I can't see a way they can be made safe.