A fire sprinkler system has saved an elderly resident in Sheffield following a fire at her home.

The recently installed system, at her house on Derby Street in Gleadless, activated after the owners mobility scooter caught fire and spread to the front of her home, allowing her to escape without serious injury.

The sprinkler extinguished the fire and limited the damage to the property. When fire crews arrived the fire was already under control, with the inside being relatively undamaged by fire.

The fire sprinkler system had been fitted as part of a ground breaking initiative by Sheffield City Council to improve fire safety to properties, supported by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR).

The installation of these types of systems is now mandatory in Wales and SYFR are actively promoting the use of this type of protection in all types of buildings to build resilience and safety into our community.

SYFRs Technical fire safety manager Amy Jenkinson, said: “The combination of working smoke alarms and a home sprinkler system reduces the risk of death from fire by more than 80%.

“As this incident proves automatic fire sprinklers are most effective during the initial stage of a fire occurring, as a properly installed sprinkler will detect the flames heat, initiate an alarm, and activate just moments after the flames appear.”

Councillor Jayne Dunn, cabinet member for housing at Sheffield City Council, said: “Fire safety is hugely important and we have invested heavily in this area. As well as sprinklers in some properties, we have been upgrading fire doors and installing safety measures such as smoke seals and heat detectors. All this is part of our £300million investment programme to upgrade our council homes.

“Incidents like this show just how important these fire safety measures are. I’m very pleased they made a difference and urge everyone to consider what fire safety they have in their own home.”