Fire Curtain Incident Analysis at Aldgate Tower
In the realm of fire safety, the FireMaster® closed rectangular Concertina fire curtains have emerged as a game-changer, particularly in high-rise multi-function buildings. These innovative fire protection solutions offer a unique blend of space efficiency, effective compartmentalization, versatile deployment, aesthetic integration, compliance, easy operation, durability, and multi-application flexibility.
Benefits
The concertina (accordion-style) folding of these fire curtains allows them to retract compactly into a slim housing, saving valuable ceiling or wall space - a critical aspect in high-rise buildings. They provide reliable fire and smoke barriers, slowing the spread of fire and protecting evacuation routes. The closed rectangular design ensures complete closure, improving smoke and fire containment compared to open or partial curtains.
Discreet installation and minimal visual impact maintain architectural aesthetics in multi-use spaces. These fire curtains often meet stringent fire safety standards and regulations necessary for high-rise buildings, boosting safety assurance. They can be integrated with building management systems for automatic deployment during fire alarms, ensuring seamless protection. Designed from heat-resistant materials, they withstand high temperatures for extended periods.
Applications
FireMaster® Concertina fire curtains find their utility in various applications. They separate combustible zones or different functional areas within the building, secure corridors, stairwells, and lobbies from smoke and fire infiltration during emergencies, and are suitable for theaters, conference halls, retail areas, or gyms within mixed-use high-rise buildings.
Deployable to isolate open-plan spaces quickly without structural alterations, they are also ideal for atriums and open areas. They prevent fire and smoke spread along vertical shafts, including elevator lobbies, and can be used in projects where specifications allow for open joining staircases, ensuring compliance with stringent fire regulations.
Real-world Impact
The Concertina fire curtain's impact was evident in the FireMaster® installation at London's Aldgate Tower. The project involved providing fire curtains for an innovative architecture firm across the 11th and 12th floors, where the lack of compartmentation between the two floors would have been a fire safety concern without the installation of a fire curtain.
In another instance, the Concertina fire curtain provided temporary firewall and boundary protection for up to two hours during a major fire that engulfed more than 30 floors of the Sulafa Tower in Dubai in July 2016. The fire resulted in sixteen people suffering minor injuries, but no major casualties.
Regular servicing and maintenance of fire and smoke curtains are now a legal requirement to ensure their optimal performance and compliance with safety standards. For further information on the FireMaster Concertina or any other fire or smoke curtain offered by our company, visit their website or contact them. Our company has installed fire and smoke curtains to protect numerous globally renowned buildings, including London's Gherkin, The British Museum, Sydney Opera House, and Aldgate Tower.
Technology plays a crucial role in the deployment of FireMaster® Concertina fire curtains, as they can be integrated with building management systems for automatic deployment during fire alarms, ensuring seamless protection.
These innovative fire protection solutions, designed from heat-resistant materials, withstand high temperatures for extended periods, demonstrating the advancement of technology in the realm of fire safety.
