First part of £22m project to install sprinklers in Portsmouth council towers to begin

Portsmouth City Council will be showcasing the plans to residents in Ladywood House at an event on November 4, with work scheduled to begin by the end of the year.

The work is part of a larger £22m scheme that will see sprinklers fitted in every council tower block over the next four years alongside other improvements including fitting new fire doors.

Councillor Darren Sanders, the council's housing boss, said: ‘I'm delighted we're close to the start of fitting sprinklers in our tower blocks, we want residents to be as safe as possible and these improvements will complement the measures already in place.

‘We are committed to providing safe, affordable housing to Portsmouth residents and this work is a big part of that.’

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) will also be attending the event at Ladywood House to help explain the benefits the work will bring and promote fire safety.

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Group manager for protection delivery at HIWFRS, Andy Lock, added: ‘We are pleased to see this vital work move a step closer in Portsmouth.

‘Sprinklers are designed to control and quickly suppress fires before the arrival of the fire service, keeping firefighters and the community safe by stopping fires from spreading. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has worked hard to highlight the impact sprinklers can have to prevent small fires becoming much more significant incidents, drastically reducing the threat to life.’

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