Ground-breaking fire protection for Chester’s historic Rows

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, is carrying out a fire safety exercise to test a brand new smoke detection system installed to protect Chester’s historic Rows on Thursday, 3rd April.

The exercise will test the Rows' aspirating fire detection system, commonly used in the aerospace industry and now adapted for the first time to safeguard heritage sites. Developed with heritage fire protection specialists, it is believed to be the first system of its kind to be used outdoors to provide early warning fire detection on a historic site in the UK. 

Steve McCormick, Head of Prevention and Protection at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:

“This is a fantastic collaboration between partners, bringing together cutting-edge technology and emergency response to protect an irreplaceable landmark from fire. We have worked closely with the council and our project partners to test the system thoroughly - improving early detection, rapid response, and reducing false alarms for emergency services. We are thankful to all partners for their commitment in making this project a reality and the hard work undertaken by our dedicated Heritage Protection Officer, James Scott” 

During the exercise, controlled smoke will be used to activate the system, triggering a signal to the council’s CCTV operators, who will assess the situation and call 999 to send an emergency alert for a fire engine to be deployed. 

The exercise will take place between 10 and 10:30am at Chester Cross, at the junction of Watergate Street, Eastgate Street, and Bridge Street. The public is advised not to be alarmed, and there is no need to report the smoke. A fire engine will move through the city, but there will be no road closures and minimal disruption is expected. 

This project has been made possible through collaboration with Charles Thomas Heritage Fire Protection Specialists, Heritage Architects Donald Insall Associates, Heritage Contractor Recclesia, and several other consultants. It is part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and could set a new standard for fire safety in heritage buildings across the UK.