Simon Gibbins
Area Manager Head of Protection
Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
Winsford
Cheshire
CW7 2FQ
VIA EMAIL: simon.gibbinscheshirefire.qov.uk
Dear Simon,
INSTALLATION OF SPRINKLER SYSTEM AT CHURCHILL MANSIONS
Thank you for your letter dated 12th November 2015, which I received on 181h November
2015.
As you noted in your letter, I have previously sent a response to CIIr Rob Polhill, in his role both as Leader of the Council and also a member of Cheshire Fire Authority.
We have been in ongoing discussions with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) for several months regarding the installation of sprinklers. Our primary contact has been Ian Kay, a senior officer within the service.
We accepted the original concept and rationale for installing sprinklers. However there are a number of factors that led us to revisit our position:
1. We have implemented all CFRS recommendations (as a result of lessons learnt from other tower block events). This is based upon a comprehensive and robust fire risk assessment, which has received the full support of your officers. My understanding is the feedback received from your colleagues was that you were very impressed by the standard of the flats. I assume you have seen a copy of this report, although I note no reference was made to this in your letter.
2. All flats have had upgraded internal fixtures fitted to enable them to be compartmentalised, eliminating the spread of fire/smoke from flat to flat. All flats have two hour fire proof front doors.
3. All wiring in communal areas are encased in metal conduit.
4. In response to the advice from CFRS, the flats have a "stay put" policy.
5. To date there has not been a fire in any of the flats.
6. There is no gas supply and therefore no naked flames in the flats.
7. In conjunction with the advice from Ian Kay, we agreed the most likely cause of any fire would be cooking related and in particular chip pan fires. In response, we are arranging to replace all chip pan fires owned by customers with a gifted thermostatic electric deep fat fryer. These are to be provided to all households where there is an existing chip pan in use, with the old pan being removed as part of an exchange programme. In addition every household will be supplied with a fire blanket between January and March 2016 as part of the electrical heating system replacements we are undertaking to each flat.
8. The advice received from CFRS appears to have shifted from a misting system to a full water sprinkler. The second version would cause considerably more water damage. The Trust's Health and Safety Officer has raised concerns about the risk of malicious activations experienced elsewhere.
9. The sprinkler system will be intrusive on the walls of the rooms.
10. There will be ongoing servicing costs in maintaining the sprinkler system.
11 .There is no legal requirement to install these types of systems.
In considering the above points we concluded, with the full agreement of Ian Kay, that all these actions made a significant contribution to reducing the risk of any fire at Churchill
Mansions. In effect this removed the need for installing any form of sprinklers into the individual flats.
It is also worth noting that all the customers at Churchill Mansions submitted a petition against the installation of sprinklers. Whilst it is important to note the views of our customers, this has not influenced the decision reached on our approach. This has been solely based upon the advice of CFRS.
The Trust takes our responsibilities as a landlord very seriously, especially in the area of fire safety. This has resulted in the considerable additional investment we have made at Churchill Mansions to ensure the fabric of the building is as fire resistant as possible.
In your letter you make reference to previous instances of fires in high rise buildings and the serious consequences that these have caused. In two of the most serious recent events (Shirley Towers and Lakanhal House) both of these buildings had complicated designs, with flats occupying more than one floor. The reports into both of these fires highlighted that their design and construction made a significant contribution to the outcome.
Churchill Mansions is of a much simpler design with flats only occupying a single floor and with only four flats per floor significantly reducing the risk in comparison with other incidents.
In an attempt to understand the mixed messages we have received from CFRS I have arranged for the relevant colleagues within the Trust to arrange to meet with you in the New Year.
In summary, I hope you are reassured by the approach the Trust has taken in this matter.
Reflecting on your last letter, I have also shared a copy of this response with both redacted and redacted for their information.
Yours sincerely
redacted
Group Chief Executive