Britain’s historic buildings are irreplaceable.
Once a medieval great hall, a Georgian country house, or a Victorian civic building is lost to fire, it is gone forever.
No insurance payout, however generous, can restore what has been destroyed.
No restoration programme, however skilled and well-funded, can return a building to what it was before the flames took hold.
The losses described in our previous article, at Windsor Castle, Clandon Park, the Glasgow School of Art, and Uppark House, are permanent.
They represent holes in the nation’s cultural fabric that will never be fully repaired.
And in almost every case, the evidence points to the same uncomfortable conclusion: with better fire safety management, the loss could have been prevented or significantly reduced.
The Difference Between Reactive and Proactive Fire Safety
Reactive fire safety management means responding to fire when it happens.
It means relying on the fire and rescue service to arrive in time, on detection systems to alert occupants, and on suppression systems to slow the spread.
It means having emergency procedures in place and hoping they work when they are needed.
Reactive fire safety management is not enough on its own, and in a heritage building it is particularly inadequate.
By the time a fire in a historic building has been detected, reported, and attended by the fire and rescue service, the speed at which fire spreads through combustible historic fabric means that the damage may already be catastrophic.
Proactive fire safety management means identifying and reducing the risk of fire before it starts.
It means understanding the specific vulnerabilities of the building, putting in place measures to address them, maintaining those measures continuously, and embedding a culture of fire safety awareness throughout the organisation responsible for the building.
It means treating fire safety not as a compliance exercise but as a fundamental responsibility of everyone involved in the stewardship of a historic building.
Understanding the Specific Vulnerabilities of Historic Buildings
Effective proactive fire safety management in a heritage setting begins with a thorough understanding of the specific vulnerabilities of the building in question.
No two historic buildings are the same, and the generic approaches that may be adequate for modern commercial premises are rarely sufficient for complex historic structures.
The construction materials used in historic buildings, including timber frames, lime plaster, historic joinery, and combustible roof structures, create fire loads that can be very significant and that burn with great intensity once ignited.
The layout of many historic buildings, with large open volumes, interconnected spaces, extensive roof voids, and hidden cavities created by centuries of modification and adaptation, allows fire to spread in ways that are difficult to predict and extremely difficult to contain.
The services installations in historic buildings, including electrical wiring, heating systems, and lighting, may be old, poorly maintained, or inadequate for the demands placed on them, creating ignition risks that require careful management.
And the activities that take place in and around historic buildings, including maintenance works, restoration projects, events, and the use of the building by members of the public, each bring their own fire risks that must be understood and managed.
A comprehensive fire risk assessment, carried out by a competent person with relevant heritage experience, is the essential starting point for understanding these vulnerabilities and for developing a proactive management strategy to address them.
The Fire Risk Assessment as a Living Document
Under Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (SI 2005/1541), the Responsible Person for any non-domestic premises is required to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and to keep it under review.
In a heritage building, this obligation takes on particular significance.
The fire risk assessment must reflect the actual current condition of the building, its use, its occupancy, and the activities taking place within it.
It must be reviewed and updated whenever significant changes occur, including changes to the building’s use, changes to its services or contents, the commencement of maintenance or restoration works, and any incident or near miss that reveals a gap in the existing arrangements.
And it must be carried out by someone with the knowledge and experience to understand both the fire safety requirements and the specific characteristics of the historic building.
A fire risk assessment that was carried out five years ago, by an assessor with no heritage experience, and that has never been reviewed, is not a suitable or sufficient assessment for a complex historic building.
It is a document that creates a false sense of security while leaving the building and its contents exposed to preventable risk.
Electrical Safety in Historic Buildings
Electrical faults are one of the leading causes of fire in heritage buildings, as the fires at Clandon Park and the Glasgow School of Art both demonstrated.
Many historic buildings have electrical installations that are old, inadequate, or poorly maintained, and that have been modified and extended over the years in ways that create significant fire risks.
Proactive management of electrical safety in a heritage building requires regular inspection and testing of fixed wiring installations in accordance with BS 7671, the Requirements for Electrical Installations, by a competent electrical engineer.
It requires careful management of portable electrical equipment, including the use of portable appliance testing and clear policies about the use of personal electrical equipment in the building.
It requires particular attention to temporary electrical installations used during events or works, which can introduce significant ignition risks if not properly managed.
And it requires a programme of planned maintenance and renewal of ageing electrical infrastructure, prioritised on the basis of risk and carried out by competent contractors with experience of working in historic buildings.
Managing Hot Works and Contractor Activity
Contractor activity is one of the most significant fire risks in any heritage building, and the fires at Uppark House and the Glasgow School of Art both illustrate the potentially catastrophic consequences of inadequate hot works management.
Proactive management of contractor activity requires a robust permit-to-work system for any hot works, including welding, cutting, grinding, and the use of blowtorches or other heat-producing tools.
The permit-to-work system must require a specific risk assessment before hot works commence, the identification and removal or protection of combustible materials in the vicinity of the works, the provision of appropriate firefighting equipment at the work location, and a mandatory fire watch after the completion of hot works, typically for a minimum of one hour, to detect any smouldering that may not be immediately apparent.
It requires the vetting of contractors before they are permitted to work on the building, to ensure that they understand and will comply with the fire safety requirements.
It requires clear communication of the building’s fire safety requirements to all contractors and their staff before work begins.
And it requires active supervision and monitoring of contractor activity to ensure that the agreed procedures are being followed in practice.
The Case for Automatic Fire Suppression
The evidence from major heritage fires, including Windsor Castle, Uppark House, and Clandon Park, makes a compelling case for the installation of automatic fire suppression systems in historic buildings.
Sprinkler systems, when correctly designed and installed, are highly effective at controlling fires in their early stages, limiting the spread of damage and buying time for evacuation and for the fire and rescue service to attend.
The argument that sprinkler systems will cause unacceptable water damage to historic fabric has been repeatedly undermined by the evidence from fires where no suppression was in place.
The water damage caused by a sprinkler system activating in response to a small, contained fire is a fraction of the damage caused by the fire and the subsequent firefighting operations if that fire is allowed to develop unchecked.
Historic England has published guidance on the installation of water mist and sprinkler systems in historic buildings, recognising that modern suppression technology can often be installed with minimal impact on historic fabric and that the benefits far outweigh the risks.
For any heritage building of significant complexity or value, the installation of an automatic fire suppression system should be considered a priority, and the obstacles to installation should be addressed proactively rather than used as a reason for inaction.
Fire Detection and Early Warning
Alongside suppression, early and reliable fire detection is critical in heritage buildings.
The complex layout of many historic structures, with extensive roof spaces, hidden voids, and interconnected spaces, means that a fire can develop and spread significantly before it becomes apparent to building users or staff.
A fire detection and alarm system designed specifically for the building, taking into account its layout, construction, and use, and installed in accordance with BS 5839, is an essential component of any heritage fire safety strategy.
The system must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the requirements of BS 5839, with regular testing and servicing by a competent engineer.
And the response to alarm activations must be clearly defined, with all staff understanding their responsibilities and the procedures to be followed when an alarm sounds.
Managing Events and Public Access
Many heritage buildings are open to the public or used for events, and the management of visitors and event operations introduces additional fire risks that must be carefully controlled.
The use of candles, naked flames, pyrotechnics, or other ignition sources during events must be subject to specific risk assessment and strict controls.
Temporary structures, marquees, and other event infrastructure must be assessed for their fire safety implications and must comply with relevant standards.
The management of visitor numbers and the maintenance of clear and unobstructed means of escape must be actively managed, particularly in buildings with complex layouts where visitors may become disoriented in an emergency.
And staff working at events must be trained in fire safety procedures and must understand their responsibilities in the event of a fire.
Fire Strategies and the Protection of Irreplaceable Collections
For heritage buildings that house collections of antiques, works of art, archives, or other irreplaceable objects, fire safety planning must extend beyond the protection of the building itself to encompass the protection and salvage of the contents.
This is an area that has historically received insufficient attention in fire safety planning, and the losses of irreplaceable objects at Clandon Park, Windsor Castle, and the Glasgow School of Art demonstrate the consequences of that oversight with devastating clarity.
A heritage fire strategy must include a collections salvage plan, a document that identifies the most significant and irreplaceable items in the building, sets out the priority order in which they should be removed in the event of a fire, and describes the procedures to be followed to ensure their safe removal and storage.
The salvage plan must be developed in close collaboration with curators, conservators, and collections managers, who will have the specialist knowledge needed to identify the most significant objects and to advise on how they can be safely handled and moved in an emergency.
It must be practical and realistic, taking into account the time and resources available in an emergency, the weight and fragility of the objects concerned, the routes available for their removal, and the locations to which they can be safely taken.
Objects should be prioritised on the basis of their cultural significance, their irreplaceability, and their vulnerability to fire and smoke damage.
A painting that can be lifted from its hook and carried to safety in seconds is a different proposition from a piece of fixed architectural joinery or a fragile ceramic that requires specialist handling.
The salvage plan must be clearly communicated to all staff and volunteers who may be involved in its implementation, and must be regularly rehearsed through salvage exercises that simulate the conditions of a real emergency.
The location of the most significant objects must be clearly marked on floor plans that are held at the building and provided to the local fire and rescue service, so that firefighters arriving at an incident are aware of the location of priority items and can take account of this in their firefighting operations.
Many fire and rescue services have heritage liaison officers or cultural property protection specialists who can work with heritage organisations to develop salvage plans and to ensure that firefighters are briefed on the significance of the collections they may encounter.
Building a relationship with the local fire and rescue service before an emergency occurs is an important and often overlooked aspect of heritage fire safety management.
The fire and rescue service can provide invaluable advice on fire safety measures, can carry out familiarisation visits to understand the layout and contents of the building, and can be better prepared to protect the most significant elements of the collection if they are called to an incident.
Beyond the salvage plan itself, the physical arrangement of collections within a heritage building should be considered from a fire safety perspective.
The most significant and irreplaceable objects should wherever possible be housed in areas of the building that are best protected against fire, with the highest levels of detection, suppression, and compartmentation.
Objects should not be stored in locations that would be difficult or dangerous to access in an emergency, or in areas of the building where the fire risk is particularly elevated.
And the condition and stability of display and storage furniture, fixings, and mounts should be regularly assessed, to ensure that objects can be safely removed quickly if the need arises.
Insurance and documentation also play an important role in the protection of heritage collections.
Every significant object in a heritage building should be comprehensively documented, with high-quality photographic records, condition reports, and provenance information maintained in a digital format that is stored securely off-site and updated regularly.
In the event of a fire, this documentation is invaluable for insurance purposes, for the identification and recovery of objects that may be removed from the building in the confusion of an emergency, and for any subsequent restoration or reconstruction work.
The relationship between fire safety and insurance in heritage settings is complex, and owners and managers of heritage buildings should ensure that their insurers are aware of the fire safety measures in place and that their policy provides adequate cover for the full replacement value of the collections housed in the building.
Training and Culture
Proactive fire safety management is ultimately a matter of culture as much as procedure.
All staff working in or responsible for a heritage building must understand the fire risks present, the measures in place to control those risks, and their individual responsibilities in the event of a fire.
Regular fire safety training, including fire evacuation drills, is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and is essential for ensuring that staff can respond effectively in an emergency.
Training must also encompass the salvage plan, with staff understanding which objects are to be prioritised, how they are to be handled, and where they are to be taken.
But training alone is not enough.
The culture of an organisation responsible for a heritage building must be one in which fire safety is taken seriously at every level, in which concerns are raised and acted upon promptly, and in which the stewardship of the building’s heritage significance and the safety of the people within it are understood as complementary rather than competing responsibilities.
The Role of the Responsible Person
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Responsible Person for a heritage building carries a clear and ongoing legal obligation to ensure that the building is managed safely.
That obligation encompasses the fire risk assessment, the implementation and maintenance of fire safety measures, the training of staff, and the review and updating of arrangements as circumstances change.
In a heritage setting, meeting that obligation demands a level of engagement, expertise, and commitment that goes beyond the minimum required for simpler premises.
It demands a genuine understanding of the building, its vulnerabilities, and the measures needed to protect it.
It demands ongoing vigilance and a willingness to invest in fire safety even when the costs are significant and the competing pressures of conservation, maintenance, and public access are many.
And it demands a recognition that the stewardship of a historic building is a privilege that carries with it a profound responsibility, not just to the law, but to the generations that will come after us and who deserve to experience the same irreplaceable places that we have inherited.
The Cost of Inaction
The fires at Windsor Castle, Clandon Park, Uppark House, and the Glasgow School of Art each caused losses measured in tens of millions of pounds.
The intangible losses, the irreplaceable historic fabric, the priceless collections, the irreplaceable architectural character, cannot be quantified at all.
Set against those losses, the cost of proactive fire safety management, of regular fire risk assessment, of well-maintained detection and suppression systems, of robust contractor management, of a well-trained and safety-conscious team, and of a carefully considered salvage plan, is modest.
The question for anyone responsible for a heritage building is not whether they can afford to invest in proactive fire safety management.
It is whether they can afford not to.
We Can Help
At ESI: Fire Safety, we provide professional fire risk assessments and fire safety consultancy for heritage and historic buildings, working alongside owners, trustees, managing agents, and facilities managers to develop fire safety strategies that are both effective and sensitive to the heritage significance of the building.
We understand the unique challenges that historic buildings present, and we are committed to helping our clients protect both the people who use their buildings and the irreplaceable heritage those buildings represent.
If you are responsible for a historic property and want to ensure that your fire safety management is as robust as it should be, get in touch with our team today.
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Further Reading and Key Legislation:
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (SI 2005/1541): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1541/contents/made
Historic England guidance on fire safety in historic buildings: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/fire-safety
Historic England guidance on water mist and sprinkler systems: https://historicengland.org.uk
BS 5839 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings: https://www.bsigroup.com
BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations: https://www.bsigroup.com
BS 9999:2017 Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings: https://www.bsigroup.com
National Fire Chiefs Council heritage fire safety guidance: https://nfcc.org.uk
Collections Trust salvage planning guidance: https://collectionstrust.org.uk
Approved Document B, Fire Safety: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b
This post is intended as a general guide. Heritage fire safety is a specialist area and the requirements for individual buildings will vary significantly. Always seek advice from a qualified fire safety professional with relevant heritage experience.
