Toddler and parents trapped in city skyrise fire ‘owe lives to sprinkler …
A family who were trapped by fire inside their Birmingham tenth-floor flat ‘owe their lives to sprinklers,’ West Midlands Fire Service[1] said. Up to 25 firefighters had responded to the incident in the early hours of this morning.
Smoke had started to fill the family’s home at Salisbury Tower, in Middleway View, Ladywood[2]. It is believed that the fire was started by an electric bike left on charge in the hallway of their flat – but the flames cut off the family’s only escape route.
They were given fire survival guidance over the phone by Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control. Crews arrived just three minutes after being mobilised. Thankfully the fire was already out due to water sprinklers drenching the flames.
Four fire engines, a 4×4 brigade response vehicle and an aerial platform attended the scene at around 2am. A man, a woman and a toddler were led to safety by firefighters before being taken to hospital for checks after breathing in smoke.
Simon Barry, Deputy Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS), said: “Sprinklers save lives – as this incident very clearly demonstrates. It could have ended tragically had the council-fitted system not kicked in.
“Sprinklers are invaluable. They save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters who respond to fires, and reduce the amount of fire damage to property and the environment.”
He added: “Without the sprinklers, the family could have been very seriously injured or worse. The fire blocked their only way out. The bike battery produced a lot of smoke and fumes, which quickly spread through the flat.
“Very fortunately, the sprinkler system did its job. One of the sprinkler ‘heads’ was fitted very close to where the bike was being charged, so the flames were quickly extinguished.”
The fire service said that people have a much higher chance of surviving a fire in the home if sprinklers are fitted. WMFS has previously welcomed the decision taken by several West Midlands councils to retrofit sprinklers across their high-rise tower blocks.
Research by the National Fire Chiefs Council showed that sprinkler systems operate on 94 percent of occasions and help keep people safer in their homes. In converted and purpose-built flats, sprinklers are 100 percent effective in controlling fires.
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References
- ^ West Midlands Fire Service (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Ladywood (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ E-bike sparks fire in city tower block (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham News (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Email Updates (www.birminghammail.co.uk)