'Mark O'Meara from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service reports that on Tuesday 9th August a severe fire occurred in a shop unit at the Salford Centre, Manchester, during the riots that affected the city. The centre manager indicated that the sprinklers activated and although it struggled with the size of the fire it still contained it until FRS extinguished it. The fire was contained to the unit, the centre is still operating.
Greater Manchester Fire Service reported 155 fires across Manchester city centre and Salford during the time the unrest was taking place and so details of the incident are sketchy at present.' This is an important demonstration that properly designed sprinkler systems will cope with even extreme circumstances and that sprinklers are an effective counter to deliberately started fires.
