Another hospital fire

[Guest]

Another fire in a hospital!  This one sounds quite bad.

www.fire.org.uk/bbc_news/news2004/june/bbc280604e.htm

How can a fire destroy half a floor within a hospital?  It must be a serious lack of integrity with their compartmentation.  Does anyone have any news on this incident?

[Guest]

Try this link...


http://www.fire.org.uk/BBC_News/News2004/June/bbc280604e.htm

[banjo 2]

I am not implying this is the case in the hospital fire to which you refer, but when you talk about compartments and sub compartments it must do what is says on the tin, i.e. 30 min FR or 60 FR.  Look at the things that breach a wall or door, electric sockets back to back, a 45 mm door with a lock in it that takes up 40 mm of the width.  Of course you need them but you must reinstate the integrity, intumescent paper round the lock, hinges etc and intumescent gaskets in sockets.  A lock that drops out of a door in six minutes throws your fire strategy to pot.  All these things can lead to unexpected fire spread; there are still contractors and others that have never heared of these things, so we need to make sure they are in place.

[Guest]

Blimey- you were listening to the Envirograf guy at the NAHFO conference!

Aren't there more obvious problems with compartmentation such as poorly firestopped service penetrations rather than trying to think of uses for his intumescent paper invention.  What will they think of next- intumescent water?- Oh too late- they do that as well.

It's worth poking your head above the false ceiling and seeing what a mess the IT boys have made.

[banjo 2]

Hi guest, I didn't need Envirograph to tell me what I have known and practised for many years; yes there are many ways in which compartments are breached, as you say IT being a major culprit, but most are checkable on a completion inspection without the aid of a chippy or an electrician dismantling doors and sockets.  My comments were made because project managers, building control officers etc do miss obvious things like that.  Incidently, two firms have been producing and supplying these products or simular, long before envirograph.  Not everyone in our trade are ex fire officers who have seen at first hand the rapid failure of so called FR doors and walls, it is only by shared information that we all learn.

[Guest]

Let's not forget that this building is a mental health unit were service users take considerable amounts of their personal belongings with them - possible for a medium or longish stay. This will often include coats and jumpers when the service user is granted leave.(as opposed to a general ward, when a small overnight bag's worth of items is usually more than enough).

This results in a significantly higher fire loading in these units.

However, the Charing X unit, involved in this fire, is brand new, built fully to specification, and performed well during the fire

The same can't be said for the staff..............