Sprinklers averted potential disaster Len Ashworth 22 January 2008 - 7:41AM LITHGOW MERCURY

The value of fire protection sprinkler systems in commercial and industrial premises was well demonstrated at the weekend in a fire at the Ferrero international confectionary complex in Lithgow.

Late on Saturday afternoon automatic alarm systems had fire brigades rushing to the factory in Barton Street.

But it was a tense delay for the brigades when the coded security gates could not be opened to allow the fire appliances into the grounds.

They had to wait anxiously until a Ferrero employee arrived and activated the gates.

In the meantime firefighters on foot managed to gain access and donned breathing apparatus to enter the smoke filled section of the production area.

They found flames coming from a large metal drying cabinet.

A brigade spokesman said that when firefighters entered the building the cabinet at the centre of the emergency was ‘white hot’ but the flames were being effectively doused by the factory’s sprinkler system.

He said this had prevented any potential spread of the fire and enabled the brigades to quickly control the situation.

One fireman had to receive first aid for minor burns caused when he came in contact with what was believed to be a peppermint concentrate used in confectionary manufacture.

With the first fire units on the scene uncertain of the extent of the fire there was a call for additional back up to deal with a potential emergency situation.

This resulted in a crew from the Wallerawang fire station being rushed to Lithgow to join the Lithgow and Lithgow West brigades at the scene.

Damage in the incident was minimal with some smoke and heat damage in the vicinity of the drying cabinet and a good deal of water to be mopped up.

An electrical malfunction is blamed for the incident.