Fire-resistant ductwork is put to a real test in 5-star hotel
Fire Protection’s Flamebar BW11 fire-resistant ductwork system proved its capabilities when a fire started inside the kitchen ductwork of the 5-star Grove Hotel near Watford. There is little else to report, as the fire was completely contained in the manner in which the system was designed to perform!
The fire started as a result of an electrical fault in the restaurant. Very little damage was caused, and the hotel was operating as normal very soon after the event.
Subsequent pictures taken on the hotel roof of the kitchen extract ductwork that actually contained the fire show no sign of deterioration compared with ductwork not subject to the fire, even though standard ventilation ductwork was completely destroyed.
A representative of Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue reported, ‘We were concerned it was a fire in the roof, but when we arrived we realised that the fire was actually within the ducting above the kitchen area. The flames were extinguished and then high-pressure fans were employed to clear the resulting smoke. 300 people were led to safety, and no-one was injured.
The Flamebar BW11 coating contains mineral fibres in a low-permeability elastomeric binder and is applied at a thickness of 1 mm.
