Hampshire's fire service burns down two houses to show how sprinkler systems can save lives

FIREFIGHTERS in Bishop’s Green spent yesterday setting light to houses instead of putting them out. Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service put on a dramatic demonstration to show how sprinkler systems fitted in the home can be the difference between life and death. Two houses on Beech Road, one fitted with sprinklers and one without, were set alight. The sprinklers were set off within two minutes, completely extinguishing the fire. In the other house, flames continued to rage and spread from the living room into other areas of the house. Firefighters had to break into the house after about 12 minutes and put out the flames before they engulfed the whole building. Fire officers said that the house with the sprinklers would be habitable within a day. They added that high-risk residents such as the elderly or those with disabilities or drug and alcohol dependency should consider installing a sprinkler system. Local residents were invited to watch the demonstration in order to get an idea of the importance of fire safety measures. It costs around £2,500 to kit out a three bedroom semi-detached house with sprinklers in every room. They should be used in conjunction with fire alarms. Around 400 people are killed by fires every year in the UK. We would encourage all households to get a detector and test it every week if you would like more information about home fire alarms please contact us on 01455 557877 you can always down load your free guide click on www.pscfiresafety.com scroll down and complete your details.   Watch this space we are hoping to launch a new detector soon.