Fire Extinguishers in PB flats?

[Golden]

I've just seen the following LFB press release - now I know it may contain inaccuracies but the fact there was a communal kitchen on the 9th and given the advice that the occupier should not have tried to tackle the fire themselves it raises some questions. Would you have recommended extinguishers for the risk (I wouldn't normally but is this a special case) and secondly can we quote the LFB on this when a premises does not want to provide any extinguishers under Article 13?

"Firefighters were called to a fire near the top of a tower block on Mason?s Hill in Bromley last night.

The fire broke out in a communal kitchen on the ninth floor of the purpose-built block of ten floors.

Thirty-eight people left the premises before the Brigade arrived. The kitchen was slightly damaged by fire, but fortunately no one was injured.

The Brigade believes that the fire was caused by a fault in an extractor hood above a cooker. It?s thought an occupant who was cooking in the kitchen made several attempts to put the fire out before calling the Brigade. People who discover a fire are advised to dial 999 immediately and should not attempt to tackle it themselves."

[colin todd]

It depends.

[Dinnertime Dave]

Without looking at any guidance, off the top of my head the only recommendation I seem to remember is providing a fire blanket in communal kitchens.

[kurnal]

If there was a communal kitchen this sounds more like HMO than PB flats? And of course LACORS guidance recommends multi purpose extinguishers in communal areas of an HMO

[AnthonyB]

If there was a communal kitchen this sounds more like HMO than PB flats? And of course LACORS guidance recommends multi purpose extinguishers in communal areas of an HMO

But the LACORS guide is very, very old now & things have moved on with BS5306-8 frowning on Powder in such a scenario.

You could argue that if you don't provide anything people can't try and put it out......on the other hand you could argue that as a lot of people would try anyway via improvised means it would be better to provide something as they are more likely to succeed...

ABF rated Wet chemicals and Water mists would be potentially of more use in a kitchen that ABC Powder, but in most cases domestically I'd stick to a fire blanket.

If anything this case shows why common area extinguishers are not advisable in purpose built flats - they would potentially have faffed around for more vital minutes running out to the (protected and leading to safety) landing, picking up a inappropriate for the risk large water or foam extinguisher (as is seen where people have blindly installed kit) wasting more time dragging it back in the (probably increasingly smoke filled) flat (no doubt leaving the front FD30 door wide open) to waste another minute working out how to set it off and yet another minute spraying it everywhere.......

The news story is confusing - perhaps someone had (legitimately or otherwise) turned a single occupancy multi bedroom flat in a general needs purpose built block into a HMO?

[wee brian]

Lets face it, if something you are cooking catches fire, you are going to try and do something about it.

Most of the time this involves turning off/removing the heat.

[colin todd]

Personally, I always eat out. I have a kitchen simply because it came with the house.

[wee brian]

But if the candle on the table ignites a nearby napkin, would you run screaming from the building (as advised by the fire service) or just put it in the water jug and continue with your meal?

[Chelsea]

I don't think it hurts to have an extinguisher about personally. Like Brian says if something happens most people would try do something about it to stop it worsening.

[colin todd]

Does Mrs Wee B put a jug of water on the table when she serves your mince and tatties in the evening?  Does she offer still and sparkling?

[AnthonyB]

I seem to remember that H.L. Malhotra did a research paper on fire fighting in the home and that most fires were successfully put out by means other than extinguishers. It dates if I recall from the era that aerosol extinguishers and the plastic Fireward powders (Betterware flogged them at the time) were heavily pushed to the domestic market and larger houses may have had an earlier era Minmax in.