Sprinkler system suppresses fire in Somerset car port following arson attack
After a car was set alight in an arson attack in Chard, an automatic sprinkler system activated and suppressed the fire in a car port area, stopping it from spreading to nearby flats.
Fires crews from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service attended the fire on Fore Street in the early hours on Friday 5th January. A car had been set on fire and had rolled into another car beneath a car port area, causing fire and smoke to affect nearby residential flats.
Commenting on the fire, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFRS) fire investigator Paul Mitchell said: “The fire was already starting to spread to the second vehicle when the crews arrived and they worked hard to extinguish the fire quickly. Fortunately, there was a sprinkler system in the car port that had activated. This undoubtedly suppressed the spread of the fire to the flats until the arrival of the fire crews.”
Sprinklers are a proven method of controlling fires. They allow fire crews the time to safely gain access and extinguish fire, and are a way of ensuring that properties of all types are adequately protected.
“This incident really shows the value of sprinklers and how effective they can be in stopping the spread of fires,” he added. “The fire was prevented from spreading to nearby flats by the activation of a sprinkler system.”