Fire safety isn’t just about alarms, extinguishers, and evacuation plans. One of the most effective ways to control the spread of fire within a building is through fire compartmentation.
In this blog post, we’ll explain what fire compartmentation is, why it matters, common causes of failure, and the real-world consequences when it’s compromised.
What is fire compartmentation?
Simply put, fire compartmentation is about dividing a building into separate sections, or ‘compartments’, using fire-resistant barriers. These barriers, made from materials like reinforced concrete, plasterboard, and fire-rated masonry, act as a fortress against fire, slowing its spread and giving people valuable time to evacuate safely.
But it’s not just walls and floors doing the heavy lifting. Fire doors, fire-resistant glazing, and firestopping materials like fire-rated expanding foam all play their part in sealing gaps and stopping fire and smoke from sneaking through hidden spaces.
Why does it matter?
The purpose of compartmentation boils down to three key objectives:
- Contain fires: By isolating the fire to its origin point and preventing it from spreading, fire compartmentation reduces both damage to property and risk to life.
- Protect escape routes: Fire compartmentation ensures that corridors, stairwells, and exits remain clear of smoke and flames, enabling people to evacuate safely.
- Safeguard critical areas: Areas like control rooms, equipment storage, or places with hazardous materials are also shielded to keep fire from reaching them.
The power of compartmentation in numbers
The effectiveness of compartmentation is measured by fire resistance ratings, which indicate how long a barrier can withstand fire exposure. These ratings typically range from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the materials used and the temperature reached by the fire.
What does this mean for occupants? Well, in high-rise buildings (15 storeys or more), a full evacuation can take as long as 2 hours. It’s easy to see how delaying the spread of fire by even 30 minutes can make all the difference.
Here are some figures to illustrate the crucial importance of fire compartmentation:
- In a fully developed fire, the temperature can peak to levels of 800°C to 1200°C in under 10 minutes.
- The amount of toxic gases and smoke produced by the burning of one piece of furniture (say an upholstered chair) could fill a space equivalent to a 15 000 m3 warehouse in as little as twenty minutes.
- Occupants often have less than 3 minutes to escape a building during a fire.
- Over half of fire-related deaths occurred in rooms where the fire didn’t originate.
When things go wrong: a case study
On 3 July 2009, a fire broke out at the 14-storey residential tower of Lakanal House in London. The fire started due to a faulty television in a flat located on the 9th floor. Although the building was originally designed with fire compartments, years of modifications had rendered them ineffective. Essential fire-stopping materials had been removed during renovation works, breaching compartmentation and allowing fire to spread both vertically and horizontally through the building.
Trusting that the building’s original compartmentation was still effective, residents were advised to stay put. However, the failure of compartmentation allowed smoke and flames to spread quickly between flats, with devastating repercussions. Six people lost their lives, and many others were injured. The incident led to intense scrutiny of fire safety practices, particularly concerning the maintenance of compartmentation during renovations.
Common causes of compartmentation failure
Even the most robust compartmentation can become ineffective if its integrity is compromised. Here are some of the most common areas where fire compartmentation can fail:
- Unsealed penetrations and gaps: Service penetrations, like pipes and cables running through walls and floors are frequent weak points. If these aren’t properly sealed, they create pathways for fire and smoke to spread. Similarly, gaps around doors, windows, and other openings need to be properly sealed or they’ll significantly reduce a compartment’s effectiveness.
- Faulty fire doors and damaged seals: Fire doors are only as good as their condition. Doors that are poorly maintained, don’t close properly, or have missing or damaged seals can’t perform their intended function.
- Structural damage or alterations: Any changes to the structural elements of a building, such as walls, floors, or ceilings, can undermime fire compartmentation. Damage from wear and tear, renovations, or even minor alterations can weaken barriers designed to contain a fire.
- Overlooked ceiling voids: Ceiling voids are often forgotten when it comes to fire safety checks. However, they can act as hidden highways for fire and smoke, allowing them to spread unnoticed above occupied spaces.
- Inadequate fire resistance ratings: All fire-rated elements, such as walls, floors, and doors, must meet the correct fire resistance ratings for their intended purpose. If they fall short, compartments can be breached more quickly than anticipated, reducing the time available for evacuation and response.
Fire compartmentation plays a central role in fire protection. While you may not ever think it’s there, this hidden feature of modern buildings may well save your life one day.
However, neglecting or compromising compartmentation, whether through badly executed renovations or lack of maintenance, can have potential life threatening consequences.
Regular inspections, proper maintenance, and an understanding of how everyday changes can impact fire safety are key to ensuring compartmentation systems work when it matters most.
The only way to ensure that your compartmentation is up to standard is through a professional fire compartmentation survey. At Atlantas, we provide comprehensive inspections to assess your building’s fire safety, ensuring any issues are identified, documented, and resolved. Our experts will offer clear guidance and support throughout the entire process.
Get in touch today to arrange your compartmentation survey.
