BS 9991 - Fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings

The Draft British Standard BS 9991 :  Fire safety in the design, management and use of residential buildings has been published for public  comment.  All comments must by submitted to BSi by the 15 October 2011 and a draft can be vied on the BSI website at drafts.bsigroup.com

The standard included many references to fire sprinkler and watermist fire protection systems and if adopted will undoubtedly increase the market for both sprinkler and watermist systems.         

Sprinkler System in Shopping Centre Attacked by Mob Contains Fire

'Mark O'Meara from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service reports that on Tuesday 9th August a severe fire occurred in a shop unit at the Salford Centre, Manchester, during the riots that affected the city.

The centre manager indicated that the sprinklers activated and although it struggled with the size of the fire it still contained it until FRS extinguished it. The fire was contained to the unit, the centre is still operating.

Greater Manchester Fire Service reported 155 fires across Manchester city centre and Salford during the time the unrest was taking place and so details of the incident are sketchy at present.'
This is an important demonstration that properly designed sprinkler systems will cope with even extreme circumstances and that sprinklers are an effective counter to deliberately started fires.

http://www.bafsa.org.uk/snews_full.php?id=00001031