Cineworld Evacuated due to small fire - 27/07/11 - Now open again

[Beakerzoid 10]

Are you part of the management team down there Beakerzoid? I want your job. Watching free films must be ace

 

Indeed I am Operations Manager in charge of film and marketing (to give my full role title)

 

It is a nice job for someone who is as enthusiastic about films as I am. plus I love working in a customer environment. Been there since Sept 2001, and still enjoy going to work each day.

 

The only drawback? Well, as much as it is free to watch the film, I tend to not see as many as I would like as going in on days off to watch films feels too much like going to work, and always ends up with me checking messages, sorting things out, etc. Hard to switch off at times

 

Still, rather be doing something I love than being stuck in a job I don't enjoy. Life is too short to waste 8 hours per day doing something you hate (which is why I left my old job in 2001 and walked right into this one).

[Space 10]

By the time you posted this, we were open again.

 

My, the forummers were slow on the gossip today

 

It's a shame you don't let your customers know when a film has been cancelled due to Harry Potter being so popular on release. We got there (after checking an hour before online), bought all the popcorn and drinks while some others were buying the tickets, only to be told you'd taken the film we wanted to watch, off.

 

A £100ish refund was given for the food and drinks (after 10 mins of arguing), but there were 4 taxis full of our group who were let down. We ended up walking to Meadowhall to watch a different film.

 

Great stuff!

 

At least nobody was hurt in the fire..

[0742Sheff 10]

If it wasn't for the low wages i would probably try getting a job in a cinema myself.

[foxydebs 36]

At around 14.42 this afternoon our system alerted us that a smoke detector had triggered in the toilet area of screen 19 and 20. On investigation, it appears that a small fire had lit in the bin there, and the two screens on that area were evacuated, whilst the fire was dealt with.

 

The fire was contained and the fire brigade were there rapidly. However, the nature of plastic bin fires is that a lot of smoke and smouldering goes on, and the fire alarm kept activating, not allowing a reset (clogged up).

 

Fire officer then told us to evacuate as smoke was starting to spread around the air ducts, so upstairs screens were going to be affected. Thus we went to full evacuation at 14.52.

 

The evacuation was not because the fire was out of control - the fire was already extinguished well before then, but it was due to the smoke causing disruption to some customers, and the fire alarm not resetting due to the damage caused. Obviously if we have a non-functional fire alarm system, then that is a risk in itself.

 

We were closed for around an hour and a half, reopening in time for the 4.25 Harry potter show. During our closure we had our alarm serviced by engineers, and declared safe to open again by fire officers, and our alarm servicing company. It is now business as usual at the cinema, although Screens 19 and 20 are currently closed.

 

Any customers whose shows were disrupted today can present their ticket on next visit, and will be allowed complementary admission to a film of choice. Any Orange weds customers can claim their free ticket again on any day they choose. Unlimited customers who may have paid a 3D uplift on a film will not have to pay the uplift next time (again, present ticket from today). Anyone with pre-booked tickets on card will need to contact customer services who will arrange the refund directly back to the card.

 

We will be opening earlier tomorrow (9am) in case anyone wants to pop in early to query on options due to the disturbance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but also thank those customers who were extremely understanding and patient today.

 

If anyone has any further queries, please feel free to ask a member of the management team on your next visit.

 

 

 

 

As an aside, and just To reassure you all, the burn time through any screen/corridor at the cinema (thanks to the fire doors and other safety features) is around 2 hours. Thus a fire could literally be raging out of control in Screen 10, and people in screen 5 (the opposite side of the building) could, in theory, be safe there for a good 4 to 6 hours. Not that this would ever be the case, if a fire is out of control we evacuate immediately.

 

Can I also take a sec to point those of you with Twitter in the direction of the CineSheff feed (linked in my sig), which was bang up to date today with the info. I set that feed up last year when there was closures due to snow, and use it regularly to keep y'all up to date on things going on.

 

So you evacuated after the fire had been put out, isn't that a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

[0742Sheff 10]

So you evacuated after the fire had been put out, isn't that a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

 

 

I think Beakerzoid clearly explains that the cinema was evacuated due to smoke entering the air conditioning and not the fire itself, which seems to have been tiny.

[foxydebs 36]

I think Beakerzoid clearly explains that the cinema was evacuated due to smoke entering the air conditioning and not the fire itself, which seems to have been tiny.

 

Its smoke that kills more people from a fire anyway and is a major irritant for people with asthma and other respiratory problems. At the last fire training course I attended we were advised to evacuate as soon as possible after the fire was found not after the fire was put out. Has this advice now changed as im sure the fire brigade which much rather everyone be evacuated rather than the evacuation being ongoing whilst they were dealing with the fire.

[Beakerzoid 10]

Its smoke that kills more people from a fire anyway and is a major irritant for people with asthma and other respiratory problems. At the last fire training course I attended we were advised to evacuate as soon as possible after the fire was found not after the fire was put out. Has this advice now changed as im sure the fire brigade which much rather everyone be evacuated rather than the evacuation being ongoing whilst they were dealing with the fire.

 

The fire brigade were more than happy with the soft evacuation of the affected zone (screens 19 and 20 evacuated), as the fire had been tackled, and the area was secure. They even agreed that it was fine to run the building, and it was only when it was apparent that the alarm system was not going to reset and clear that they said to evacuate.

 

As described, the design of the building is such that we could soft evacuate half the building, with the other half remaining open - but if there was a fire still burning, we would full evacuate. In this instance the fire was plastic in a toilet, and was extinguished on discovery. However, the nature of plastic fires is that a fair quantity of smoke is present, and this had clogged the alarm sensors. until we could get an engineer into the building to remedy the sensors, we had a fire system that was effectively inoperable, and that was the issue which led to evacuating.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Beakerzoid

[0742Sheff 10]

Ignore...Beakerzoid explained far better than me

[foxydebs 36]

could the bins be metal rather than plastic in the toilets, as doesn't plastic give off more noxious and poisonous fumes when involved in a fire.

[Beakerzoid 10]

could the bins be metal rather than plastic in the toilets, as doesn't plastic give off more noxious and poisonous fumes when involved in a fire.

 

The sanitary bins are provided by the company contracted to remove and replace them...but that is certainly something we will be querying with them (they have metal lids, but plastic body). Will be picking through the incident reports tomorrow and, as with any incident, be looking at ways to limit the possibility of any similar instances in future.

 

You may have noticed that the rest of the bins we have are either metal or hard ceramic (and fire retardant) around the foyer and corridors. This is a deliberate choice (not just because they look nice).

[foxydebs 36]

The sanitary bins are provided by the company contracted to remove and replace them...but that is certainly something we will be querying with them (they have metal lids, but plastic body). Will be picking through the incident reports tomorrow and, as with any incident, be looking at ways to limit the possibility of any similar instances in future.

 

You may have noticed that the rest of the bins we have are either metal or hard ceramic (and fire retardant) around the foyer and corridors. This is a deliberate choice (not just because they look nice).

 

Yes I have noticed that and guessed that would be the reason why. Didn't realise it was the sanitary bin, thought it was just a wastebin as could not remember if they were metal or not, come to think of it in all my years of using public toilets I have never come across a metal sanitary bin, I have only ever seen plastic ones. So maybe they don't make them, if not then dragons den here I come lol.

Was it arson then or are you not allowed to comment?

[Beakerzoid 10]

Was it arson then or are you not allowed to comment?

 

Can't comment. It was being investigated through the afternoon.

 

 

 

I blame Harry Potter myself - on the last film we had evacuation issues as the alarm system didn't like our new digital projectors, and decided to tell everyone to leave the building instead (old thread can be seen http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=675937 )