Dry risers and firefighting access in blocks of flats

A fire engine parked outside a block of flats cannot reach a blaze on the fifth floor with hoses dragged up stairwells. Buildings above a certain height rely on fixed pipework installed inside the structure so crews can attach their hoses close to the fire.

This pipework is usually a dry riser: a vertical pipe running through the building with inlet valves at ground level and outlet valves on each landing. The pipe sits empty until firefighters pump water into it from their appliance. Wet risers work on the same principle but hold water permanently under pressure, which is typical in taller buildings where pumping from street level takes too long.

If you live in or manage a block in Tunbridge Wells, these systems form part of the wider fire strategy for the building. A specialist firm reviews the layout during a fire risk assessment to confirm the equipment matches the height and design of the block.

The inlet valve for a dry riser sits on the outside wall or just inside the entrance lobby. Firefighters must be able to find it quickly and connect their hoses without moving bins, bicycles or parked cars first.

Access roads around the block matter just as much. Turning circles, weight limits on driveways and the distance from the nearest hydrant to the inlet all affect how fast water reaches the upper floors. Landscaping changes, new gates or delivery parking bays can block a route that was clear when the building was designed.

The responsible person for the block holds the duty to keep these routes unobstructed. This obligation sits alongside other landlord responsibilities, such as arranging regular fire door inspections and maintaining escape routes. If the local council has written to you about fire safety, their letter may already mention access problems they have noticed.

A dry riser only works if the valves open, the seals hold and the pipes are free of debris. Building regulations require periodic testing, typically a visual check every six months and a full pressure test once a year. A competent contractor carries out this work and records the results.

During a pressure test, the specialist firm pumps water through the system at a set pressure and watches for leaks at every landing valve and joint. They also check that the inlet box opens freely and that the signage pointing to it is visible.

These checks sit within the broader maintenance schedule for the building, alongside alarm servicing and extinguisher checks. The records feed directly into the fire risk assessment, so the assessor can see whether the system has been neglected or kept in working order.

Most streets in Tunbridge Wells have statutory fire hydrants buried beneath small yellow marker plates. These supply the water that feeds a dry riser inlet. If the nearest hydrant is out of service, damaged by roadworks or buried under a new driveway, the fire brigade loses its primary water source for that block.

The water company maintains public hydrants, but the responsible person for the building needs to know where they are and report faults. In some older developments, private hydrants serve the site instead, and the management company must arrange their upkeep.

Understanding where water comes from and how it travels through the building helps clarify why compartmentation surveys matter. If the riser fails, the walls and doors containing the fire become the only defence while residents leave.

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person for the common parts of a block of flats must ensure that facilities for firefighters are maintained. That includes dry risers, wet risers, hydrant access and the routes connecting them.

In practice, this duty falls on the freeholder, the managing agent or a residents' management company. Many blocks in Tunbridge Wells appoint a nominated person to oversee these obligations day to day, especially where multiple landlords own individual flats.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 added specific requirements for taller residential buildings, including sharing information about firefighting equipment with the local fire and rescue service. Even for lower-rise blocks, keeping written records of tests, inspections and access checks remains the standard way to demonstrate compliance when questions arise.