Last updated: 01/08/2019, 3:41 PM

Fire at a school - Battersea

11/02/2019 14:35
Wandsworth
School fires
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A Battersea school without sprinklers was damaged by fire on the day the Brigade called for more buildings to have fire suppression systems.

The fire damaged a ground floor classroom. Around 1100 staff and students left the building before the arrival of the Brigade. Thankfully they were all uninjured.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “This fire is a very timely reminder of why sprinklers in schools are so important as they could have significantly reduced the damage and impact of this fire.

“Fires in schools cause major disruption to pupils’ learning and often lead to costly repair bills.

“London’s firefighters are called to more than 80 fires in schools every year and in most cases, sprinklers are not fitted – meaning millions of pounds are wasted repairing fire and water damage.

"We want the law to change to stop developers ignoring our advice and ensure that sprinklers are a core part of fire safety measures. The call comes as the Government consults on building regulations in Approved document B that include a crucial section on sprinklers and other fire suppression systems."

Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to the fire at a school on Battersea Rise. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Brigade was called at 1435 and the fire was under control by 1532. Fire crews from Battersea, Wandsworth, Tooting, and Clapham attended the incident.