Sprinkler saves flat thanks to retrofit decision

Wolverhampton Homes has reaffirmed its commitment to resident safety following a high-rise flat fire in autumn 2025, where an installed sprinkler system successfully contained and extinguished a living room blaze before firefighters arrived.

The fire, caused by discarded smoking materials, was controlled by the activation of a single sprinkler head, preventing injuries, limiting damage and stopping the fire from spreading or reaching flashover. This incident clearly demonstrates how sprinklers can save lives, protect firefighters and significantly reduce property damage. As Nick Lacey, Building Safety Manager at Wolverhampton Homes, said: “Installing sprinklers in our tower blocks has proven not only to save lives, but also to minimise damage and protect firefighters.”

The positive outcome was made possible by the City of Wolverhampton Council’s decision, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, to retrofit sprinklers across its 36 high-rise residential blocks, most of which are managed by Wolverhampton Homes. Built between 1960 and 1973, these buildings present higher fire risks, particularly where poor housekeeping and smoking are factors.

This incident adds to growing operational evidence, including NFCC-commissioned research, showing sprinklers are reliable and highly effective as part of a comprehensive fire safety strategy. It reinforces calls from BAFSA and the NFCC for government action to mandate the retrofitting of sprinkler systems in existing high-rise residential buildings, as without them, the outcome of this fire could have been very different.

Read a full report by Nick Coleshill on Sprinklers Saves