Fire Safety
If you have any questions or would like to raise any concerns about fire safety in the building, please contact the team at [email protected].
The Fire Strategy for this building is:
Stay Put – If your apartment is in a part of the building that is not immediately affected by fire, heat, or smoke, you should stay inside the apartment with all doors and windows closed and any gaps underneath doors blocked, unless directed to evacuate by the Fire & Rescue Service.
If at any point your apartment becomes affected by fire, heat, or smoke, you should evacuate the building immediately. If you are unable to leave your apartment for any reason, remain inside your home and call the Emergency Services on 999 or 112 from any mobile phone or landline. Keep all windows and doors closed and block any gaps underneath doors to limit the effects of fire, heat, or smoke.
WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE
FIRSTLY…. if there is a fire, don’t tackle it yourself, just call 999
If you discover a fire inside your apartment, you should:
Try to remain calm.
Alert anyone else inside your apartment to the fire and instruct them to evacuate with you.
Leave the apartment as quickly as possible – do not stop to collect any belongings.
Close all doors behind you as you leave to help contain the fire.
Follow the green directional escape signage to take the safest, quickest route out of the building.
NEVER use a lift when trying to escape from a fire.
If available along your escape route, press and activate a red fire call point.
If there is a lot of smoke anywhere along your escape route, crawl along the floor where the air will be clearer.
Do not stop until you are outside, at which point you should make your way to the Assembly Point located at the Iceland Car Park.
When it is safe for you to do so, report the fire to the Emergency Services by dialling 999 or 112 from your mobile phone or the nearest available landline that is not inside the building where the fire is located.
Do not go back inside the building for any reason until the Fire & Rescue Service have deemed it safe to do so.
If you discover a fire in any other part of the building, you should:
Try to remain calm.
Alert anyone else in the immediate vicinity to the fire and instruct them to evacuate with you.
Leave the area as quickly as possible – do not stop to collect any belongings.
Close all doors behind you as you leave to help contain the fire.
Do not return to your apartment.
Follow the green directional escape signage to take the safest, quickest route out of the building.
NEVER use a lift when trying to escape from a fire.
If available along your escape route, press and activate a red fire call point.
If there is a lot of smoke anywhere along your escape route, crawl along the floor where the air will be clearer.
Do not stop until you are outside, at which point you should make your way to the Assembly Point located at the Iceland Car Park.
When it is safe for you to do so, report the fire to the Emergency Services by dialling 999 or 112 from your mobile phone or the nearest available landline that is not inside the building where the fire is located.
Do not go back inside the building for any reason until the Fire & Rescue Service have deemed it safe to do so.
OTHER IMPORTANT FIRE SAFETY INFORMATION
Fire Doors
All our apartment front doors, corridor doors, common area doors, and emergency exit doors are certified fire rated, meaning that when closed they can give enough time for the fire brigade to contain and extinguish a fire. We inspect these doors either quarterly or annually.
Please note the following important information about fire doors:
- Fire doors must be kept shut when not in use to uphold the compartmentation of the building according to its fire strategy.
- Some fire doors are fitted with self-closing devices to help uphold compartmentation. You or your guests must never tamper with these devices, as doing so could affect the performance of the fire door in an emergency and compromise a fire compartment.
- You must never modify a fire door in any way, including changing or removing any existing features (handles, peepholes, flat numbers, etc.), or adding any new features (letter box, pet flaps, doorbells, security cameras, etc.). Doing so will invalidate the fire certification of the door and you will be liable for all costs to replace the fire door back to its original specification.
- You must report any faults or damage to a fire door to the building team immediately by visiting the front desk or by sending an email to [email protected]. If in doubt, tell us anyway and we will happily check.
Please note we are required to inspect flat entrance doors at least once per year, and we will contact you to arrange this.
Landlord Areas Fire Alarm System
Please note that the Landlord’s fire alarm system is tested weekly on Friday at 3:00 pm.
Depending on the area being tested, an audible alarm may or may not sound. If you hear an audible alarm during the system test, there is no need to evacuate the building unless the alarm sounds continuously for over 5 minutes, or you are told to do so by UNCLE staff or the Fire & Rescue Service.
During the weekly test there will be disruption to the lift service in the building as all lifts will return to the ground floor and remain stationary until the system has been reset.
Smoke and Heat Detectors Inside Apartments
Your home has been fitted with smoke alarms and heat detectors to alert you to smoke or sudden rises in temperature. Each alarm/detector is wired to the mains with a battery back-up.
Please ensure you:
- Never disconnect or detach a detector for any reason.
- Never cover a detector as this could affect their ability to operate
- Regularly check the correct operation of all detectors inside your apartment by pressing the “test” button – usually identified on the device.
- Replace any back-up batteries as required – usually if the device has intermittent beeping.
- Regularly vacuum around the cover to prevent any dust build-up.
TOP TIP…
If your smoke alarm starts beeping every couple of minutes, the battery is low. Purchase a new 9V Battery and replace it. If you need assistance with battery replacement, we’re happy to help during working hours.
Smoke Control Systems
Smoke control systems are available in the common parts of the building to help extract smoke from compartments in the event of a fire.
These will be tested frequently by the Pioneer Point maintenance team as well as our external contractors.
Disabled Refuge Points
If a fire is detected in the common areas of the building, all lifts will be grounded to prevent them from operating, which means that residents above or below ground level must use stairs to escape from the building.
For non-ambulatory residents and visitors, i.e., persons using a wheelchair or other mobility aids that prevent or limit the use of stairs, disabled refuge points are available in the following locations:
- Basement lobby North
- Basement lobby South
- Lift lobby 3rd floor North Tower
- Emergency escape staircase, 3rd floor North Tower
- 2nd floor rear staircase
Disabled refuge points have two-way communication with a master handset to allow users to stay in contact with building management and/or the Fire & Rescue service while evacuation assistance is arranged.
The refuge points and communication systems will be inspected and tested frequently by the Pioneer Point maintenance team as well as our external contractors.
Emergency Lighting
There is emergency lighting installed throughout the communal areas, including communal corridors, stairwells and ground floor spaces.
Emergency lighting provides low level lighting during any power outage, allowing you to safely navigate your way through the building.
These will be tested frequently by the Pioneer Point maintenance team.
Escape Signage & Escape Routes
Green “running man” escape signage is installed throughout the communal areas.
In the event of a fire or other emergency, follow the escape signage to reach the nearest, safest exit from the building.
Escape routes must be kept clear of trip hazards and combustible materials at all timesPlease don’t store anything in the communal corridor or staircase, e.g., shoes, prams, toys, bikes, etc., and decorative fixings, seasonal or otherwise, are not permitted to be fixed to the doors or walls in the corridors
FIRE PREVENTION ADVICE
Smoking
This is a non-smoking building.
Smoking is against the terms of your tenancy agreement and is not permitted anywhere inside the building, including inside your apartment, nor in any common part of the building.
Candles, Incense Sticks, Oil Burners, Fire Pits, Log Burners, Gas and Biofuel Heaters, and Other Open Flame Sources
Candles, incense sticks, oil burners, fire pits, log burners, gas and biofuel heaters, and any other types of open flame burners are not permitted to be used inside your home.
Cooking
Take care when cooking, and do not leave any appliance unattended while in use.
Be careful when cooking with hot oil
If a fire starts from a pot on the hob, do not attempt to move the pan. Instead, try to turn the hob off and then cover the fire with a fire blanket if one is available, or otherwise a pan lid or tray. The aim is to prevent air getting to the fire.
If it is an oil fire, make sure not to use water or damp cloths to try to extinguish the fire. Water can cause the oil to “explode”, which could help the fire to spread.
Barbecues
Resident-owned coal or gas-powered barbecues are not permitted for use anywhere in the building.
Avoiding Electrical Fires
From overloaded extension leads and adapters to faulty chargers, electrical items are one of the most significant fire risks in the home. According to the London Fire Brigade you can reduce fire risk by:
- Not storing items around your electrical consumer unit.
- Always making sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them.
- Keeping electrical appliances clean and in good working order.
- Don’t buy cheap counterfeit chargers for items that use lithium batteries, and never leave phones or laptops plugged in to charge overnight.
- Emptying fluff regularly from tumble dryers in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Hair straighteners can get extremely hot – always switch them off and leave them to cool on a heatproof surface.
- Trying to keep to one plug per socket, especially for high powered appliances like washing machines.
- Always checking that you’re using the right fuse.
- Be lead safety savvy – cable drum extension leads should always be completely unwound to avoid overheating and be careful not to overload extension leads.
- Registering your white goods – it could save your life if a product is recalled for safety reasons.
- Sharing your fire safety knowledge with the whole family – check the kids’ chargers, and make sure everyone knows how to use electrical goods and their charges correctly.
- Ensuring all main power switches for electrical appliances are turned off if you are away for the night or going on holiday.
E-Scooters & E-Bikes
According to the London Fire Brigade fires involving lithium batteries are the fastest growing fire risk in London. In 2022 the fire brigade attended 116 fires caused by e-bike or e-scooter related fires. Here are some ways to reduce your risk:
- Don’t block your exit with charging batteries or e-bike and e-scooters. If a fire breaks out, you won’t be able to safely leave your home. Store them in the cycle store.
- Never charge your battery on the balcony or in any corridor.
- Keep an eye out for warning signs that your battery might be failing and becoming a fire risk.
- Never leave your battery to charge when you are out or whilst you sleep.
- Make sure your battery and charger meet UK safety standards.
- Use the correct charger for your battery, and make sure to buy from a reputable seller.
- Let your battery cool before charging it.
- Unplug your charger once the battery has charged.
- Fit smoke alarms in the area where you charge your batteries.