Taking a risk with lives

The fire service called for sprinklers to be installed in every school in the wake of this week's devastating blaze which gutted part of a secondary school.

East and West Sussex County Councils have revealed that none of their schools have sprinkler systems.

Fire officers say sprinklers could stop a fire endangering children's lives and destroying years of coursework.

Tideway School, Newhaven, was hit by a suspected arson attack which sent flames tearing through the building on Tuesday.

No one was injured as the fire broke out during the night but the building incurred more than £1 million damage and irreplaceable school work was ruined.

The school did not have sprinklers.

East Sussex Fire Service said that had the school been equipped with sprinklers, the fire might not have spread so far.

In the past 12 months, arson has caused millions of pounds' damage to Sussex schools, including a £500,000 blaze at Bishop Luffa School, Chichester, last November and two fires at St Philip Howard Catholic School in Barnham, near Bognor.

Firefighters say much of the destruction could be avoided using sprinklers, which can extinguish flames before crews arrive.

Adrian Brown, divisional officer for East Sussex Fire Service, said: "There is a concern nationally at the rising number of school fires.

"There is the risk of children and parents being hurt. We hope schools are addressing that. Installing a sprinkler system will go a long way.

"We know that schools are suffering a horrendous rate of fires. Last year in the UK there were about 2,000 school fires. It isn't just the fabric of the building, it is pupils' work and teachers' work. It is a life-changing event. So many qualifications are now based on coursework.

"It could affect the future lives of all those pupils."

Although any building with an open space larger than 2,000 sq metres must have sprinklers and most commercial premises choose to install them, there are no legal requirements for schools or local education authorities to do so.

Until now it has been the policy of East and West Sussex County Councils not to fit them unless individual schools decide to pay out of their own budgets.

Following the Tideway fire, both councils are reviewing their policies.

Mr Brown said installing a sprinkler system was just one per cent of a building's cost. He added that, unlike smoke alarms, modern sprinklers would not go off if they were not needed because they only activate at temperatures of 68C or above.

He said: "Sprinkler systems are fitted in every shop in Churchill Square. There is the cost of installing it but the long term benefits over the 20 or 30 year life of that school make up for it.

"From 2000 to 2003 in the UK there was £152 million damage. The amount of money spent to replace burned schools could have paid for 45 new primary schools or 40,000 teachers.

"It is being paid for by the taxpayers."

The Government plans to revise building regulations by next year.

Nationally, the fire service is lobbying for sprinklers in schools and public buildings.

Len Richards, deputy chief fire officer for East Sussex, said: "Fire sprinklers can give an early warning and control the fire and its development.

"This restricts its spread and saves considerable damage and loss and reduces the impact on the community.

"We strongly urge that in any rebuilding of school premises, the installation of sprinklers is considered a priority as a life and property saving measure."

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: "The issue of sprinklers is under review after the event at Tideway.

"Some local education authorities have concerns about the cost of sprinkler systems and concerns about systems going off accidentally or being set off maliciously.

"We know that the fire service would like to see greater investment in sprinklers in private and public buildings and this is something which county council officers will be exploring with local fire service colleagues.

"We will also seek to learn from experience gained in other parts of the country in terms of effective preventative measures.

"In the meantime, schools have fire safety policies and pupils are regularly reminded about the safety rules and what to do in the event of a fire.

"Where schools feel vulnerable to an increased risk of either vandalism or property damage, then increased security can be arranged such as security patrols or improved fencing to deter people entering the school site."

He added that, before Tideway, the last major fire at an East Sussex school was at Hillcrest School, Hastings in 2000.

A West Sussex County Council spokeswoman said that during the last six months county schools had incurred £418,000 arson damage.

At the moment there are no sprinklers in schools under the council's control because of fears that sprinklers would accidentally go off.

Old-fashioned sprinklers could flood the school with water even if the fire was only minor.

She said: "We don't have sprinklers in schools at the moment.

"You couldn't zone them so they would start over the whole area and cause a lot of damage.

"We are reviewing the policy as sprinklers can now be zoned.

"West Sussex County Council carries out risk assessments in schools and provides advice on reducing the risk of arson."

The council works with schools to reduce the risk of fire and arson, for example by encouraging them to move wheelie bins away from buildings and chain them together so they cannot be moved.

Brighton and Hove City Council could not confirm how many of its schools had sprinkler systems.

A spokesman said: "It is down to individual schools to decide how they go about these things."

Adrian Money, headteacher at Tideway, has been on holiday but was expected back in school today.

The school has suffered extensive damage to the hall, library, staff room, drama room, main office and toilets and smoke damage to two teaching blocks.

It will attempt to open for the start of term on Monday, giving priority to pupils in Years 9 and 11.

Four youths arrested on suspicion of arson have been bailed until July 12.