A fire that spread from one Dunedin council flat to another has prompted the replacement of the smoke alarms in all council flats and a comprehensive check to find and fix any gaps in the firewalls between flats.
Immediately after the March 18 fire the Fire Service told the council it was concerned about the fire separation between units not reaching all the way to the roof.
The fire started from unattended cooking in one unit in a block of flats on Glen Rd. The blaze spread to the unit next door through the open roof cavity.
A man who lived in the unit where it started was treated for smoke inhalation after being helped from the building by his neighbours.
The Fire Service was concerned there were similar gaps in the firewall all the way along the four-unit block, which was one of several similar blocks on the site.
Council asset manager John Varney said council housing and building services staff had since met the Fire Service to discuss what action was required. The council decided to replace the smoke alarms in its entire social housing stock of about 1000 units.
The new smoke alarms would be upgraded versions that had batteries that lasted 10 years, and would be installed by the Fire Service over the next 10 to 12 months.
The council would also be ensuring the firewalls between units went all the way to the roof.
Any gaps found would be sealed with a fireproof ceramic wall blanket.
It was hoped those checks would start next month, after staff had decided on priorities.
Council housing stock had been built in various eras since 1948, and the modern stock was unlikely to have problems, Mr Varney said.
Multi-unit buildings being built today are required to have firewalls between units right to the roof, but on older stock, extending firewalls to the roof only needs to be done when upgrading a building.
It was unclear how many of the council's units would be affected, Mr Varney said.
''We may find no issues at all, it may have been just an isolated incident at Glen Rd, but we've got to do the checks.''
East Otago fire-risk management officer Barry Gibson said the Fire Service was impressed with the council's attitude to addressing the problems.
