Earlier this month, a fire ripped through student flats in Bristol where around 120 students lived.
More than 40 firefighters tackled the blaze as it took hold of the building and completely destroyed the roof. No students were harmed, but all have had to be rehoused.
The fire is believed to have ignited in the kitchen from an unattended pan of oil.
Students are a high-risk group when it comes to fire safety. They are seven times more likely to have a fire, with 81% undertaking risky activities. The appeal of late night food is understandably common in student flats, so these ‘risky activities’ include:
- One in two ‘drink and fry’ causing hundreds of fires each year
- Deep fat fryers and chip pans are the cause of 9% of fires.
- 58% of incidents occur from misuse of cooking appliances
- 43% admit to drying clothes over a heater.
75% of students surveyed also said that they considered themselves to be “pretty sensible, but likely to take the odd risk now and again.” With thousands of students who have just left home for the first time, this makes fire protection solutions for halls even more vital.
Fire doors are safety devices. When a fire breaks out, they act as a barrier by holding the fire back so people can escape.
With issues of struggling with the weight from heavy fire doors, slamming and injury, it’s clear to see why fire doors get wedged open. They are seen as more of a hindrance than a safety device. Despite this, regulations state that fire doors must be kept closed.
For many, an open door makes life easier. It stops the obstruction from heavy fire doors, reduces injury, inconvenience and allows freedom of movement.
There are legal ways to keep fire doors open with hold open devices such as Dorgard. A hold open door retainer, Dorgard allows the user to hold fire doors open at any angle. These wire-free devices listen for the sound of the alarm and once heard, close the doors. This prevents the rapid spread of smoke and fire.
David Leefe Kendon, Principal Technician at the University of Portsmouth has found Dorgard to be a convenient way to keep fire doors open safely “We now comply with H&S requirements while making life easier for everyone that needs to keep doors open. Keeping the doors open helps ventilate rooms and bring in fresh air. It’s easy to install and simple to use.”
Simple, wire-free devices like these provide everyone with the freedom to move. They also ensure compliance and most importantly, keep students safe.
(Sources: www.bristolpost.co.uk, https://www.bristol247.com, www.zurich.co.uk, West Midlands Fire Service )
