Sprinkler Stop in timber processing plant, Solihull, West Midlands

At just after Midday on 24th June 2008 a fire started at Arden Wood Shavings, a timber processing plant in Solihull, West Midlands

A fire resulting from a drive bearing in a shavings separator caused a dust explosion that resulted in fires burning in various areas of the building, carried via ducting systems.

The building was fitted with a sprinkler system and it is estimated that as many as twenty sprinkler heads, in the separator machine room and in the main bulk storage area, operated to control and suppress the fires that followed the dust explosion until arrival of the Fire Service.

Six pumping appliances from West Midlands Fire Service were used to suppress the deep seated fires that followed.

Given the nature of the stored materials and processes, the sprinkler system may well have prevented a total loss of the on site processing and storage facilities.