Unsprinklered Blackburn furniture factory destroyed by devastating fire

*Photograph: Business Sprinkler Alliance/Graham Woods

The Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the fire in the early hours of 17 February when it broke out at NW Upholstery located on Lower Hollin Bank Street. On arrival, the fire was well established and had spread to several neighbouring businesses in an adjacent industrial unit.

The blaze required 50 firefighters, eight appliances and specialist equipment including aerial ladder platforms to bring it under control. It took over nine hours before fire crews could do so.

Although no injuries were reported, considerable resources were used by the Fire and Rescue Service to control the fire.

The impact on the local community and environment has been significant with local road closures, residents forced to keep their windows and doors closed due to harmful smoke and a number of measures employed to minimise the impact of pollution to the local environment.

The destroyed 2,500 m² building will cause an adverse environmental impact, while the materials and resources required to repair and rebuild it will incur significant financial costs.

Members of the Fire and Rescue Service worked hard to protect surrounding properties, yet the intervention of 50 firefighters could not stop the fire in a building of this size. Industrial fires impact far larger premises with similar results and with potentially larger impacts.

Stark contrast

The fire at the upholstery unit in Blackburn is in stark contrast to a similar fire two years earlier at the Sofa Traders Warehouse in Sheffield. The outcome was completely different as the latter fire was suppressed and extinguished by an automatic sprinkler system, preventing any further damage and allowing the business to be operational the following day.

That fire broke out in the loading area of the premises on Richmond Park Road on 10 February 2022 with five fire crews from the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attending the scene. The sprinkler system contained what could have been a potentially major fire and ensured that the unfortunate episode turned out to be only a minor inconvenience.

At the time, the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fire started behind some roller shutter doors in a loading area behind the shop, but because the premises had sprinklers fitted, the fire was contained. Therefore, what could have been a very big fire was in fact over quite quickly.”

While containing and extinguishing fires without loss of life is crucial, comparing these two events highlights the stark differences in potential outcomes.

The fire in Blackburn needed huge resources and continues to have far-reaching effects. The fire in Sheffield used far less resources and exerted only a limited impact on the local community.

Iain Cox, chair of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, noted: “By reducing fire spread, we not only protect lives. We also protect property, businesses and jobs. A properly controlled fire can be the difference between a building requiring minor repair or costly demolition and reconstruction.”

*Further information concerning the Business Sprinkler Alliance can be accessed online at www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org