Rob, our MD, was privileged to be able to attend the European Fire Sprinkler Network’s (EFSN) Fire Sprinkler International conference and exhibition in Paris (very handy, as he’s a big fan of France!), on 22/23 April – the event broke all previous records, being attended by over 600 fire sprinkler industry representatives from across the globe… UK and France, obviously, but also many others from northern and southern Europe, Scandinavia and even the USA and China.
There were over 70 exhibitors, ranging from UK-based service providers and approval bodies, to international manufacturer both new and old. In addition, there were myriad presentations, seminars and panels – something like 50 across the two days, which gave plenty of choice to find something interesting and educational, and plenty of opportunity to catch up with colleagues and meet new contacts. In an industry like ours, there is always something new to learn, and Rob himself attended a number of these, just some of which are summarised below…
Perhaps one of the most interesting, and concerning, was given by the Head of Fire Prevention in Paris which covered the 2019 fire at Notre Dame (one of Paris’s most iconic buildings, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Some of the issues which caused the fire to be worse than it could have been include: the fire starting in the attic which was created with 13th century oak and not partitioned; when the initial alarm was raised, one of the guards went to the wrong place and declared there was no fire; 300 steps making access very difficult and time-consuming; and the alarm not being connected directly to the fire service. The fire turned out to be approx. 2000MW which is the equivalent of 15,000 burning cars; the roof and spire were lost, but there was a focus on saving the bell towers which would have been a disaster if any of the large bells had fallen. Over 400 firefighters were engaged, some entering places in the building where there was some risk of them not returning, and the fire was eventually brought under control within around four hours. Possible causes were assigned to various refurbishment works going on in the roof area, including a cigarette butt or electrical short. Fire prevention measures which were incorporated as part of the reconstruction (miraculously completed at the end of 2024) included: partitioning of the roof space, a Marioff watermist system, multiple thermal cameras, and improved on-site water supplies. Suffice to say that fires are often started during renovation works, and historical buildings present many unique challenges.
Another session covered car park fires (a rare event, but one which makes the headlines when it happens due to the normally significant and spectacular impact), especially focusing on the impact of EV (electric vehicle) fires when compared to ICE (internal combustion engine) fires where numerous online videos show the potentially swift and devastating effect of battery fires. In fact, various tests have shown that there is little overall difference in the intensity and duration of car fires…for normal-sized cars. However, for larger EV’s such as large SUVs and vans etc there is a big impact from the larger batteries and any resultant fire will be much more intense and run for longer. What is important is that in almost all cases, ceiling-mounted fire sprinklers reduce both fire intensity and the risk of spreading to other vehicles despite most fires starting in shielded areas such as inside or underneath a vehicle.
There was also something of a focus on environmental issues – the growing (or should we say resurgent) use of timber in building construction, and the challenges/opportunities this presents; the data surrounding the effectiveness of fire sprinklers in controlling fires which would otherwise lead to significant loss of resources and environmental damage; life-cycle analysis of fire sprinkler systems, components, and how environmental impact can be reduced based on material selection, maintenance and re-use/recycling; how pipework corrosion can be reduced using vapour corrosion inhibitors (a new application of an older technology); the use of recycled steel for pipework, and even the possibility of re-using steel pipework – all interesting, and of course extremely important for all of us to consider during our future developments.
Maybe one of the most chilling discussions was in relation to the criticality of inspection and maintenance – the example being the recent death of 12 hospital patients in a fire in Cuttack, India. It appears that the ICU’s fire sprinkler system ‘failed to activate’…because the control valve was closed; in addition, the fire alarm system had been switched off for several days. Although there was a fire station 200m away, they were not called for over 20 minutes which, as many ICU patients could not move themselves, was too late for some. Initial investigations point to an electrical problem within a ventilator being used on one of the patients. This is a distinctly sobering tragedy, which shows that you can have the best systems in the world installed, but if they are not inspected, maintained, or operational then they are useless.
Overall a fascinating few days, and some interesting conversations to follow up with partners old and new… next stop Madrid!