Sprinkler system at Portsmouth residential high rise fire caused by oven helps control blaze as fire crews tackle flames

Crews from Southsea, Havant, Fareham, Waterlooville, Eastleigh and Cosham were called at 4.32pm to a fire in a high-rise building in Commercial Road in Portsmouth today (May 10).

On arrival, crews discovered the fire involved an oven inside a flat and extinguished it using two breathing apparatus and one hose reel.

The sprinkler system in the building had activated and had kept the fire from spreading elsewhere in the building, allowing crews to extinguish the fire safely.

Rob Cole, assistant director of operations, said: ‘The sprinklers activated in this building and kept the fire in check.

‘This meant we could deploy resources and send our crews into the building to keep the fire in the room of origin, without spreading elsewhere.

‘Sprinklers really do make a big difference in keeping communities safe and preventing fires from spreading.’