Morgan Sindall starts work on £14.8m fire training complex
Morgan Sindall Construction has started work on a £14.8m live fire training complex for Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) in Stevenage.
The contractor’s Northern Home Counties business was appointed by Hertfordshire County Council to deliver the redevelopment through the Pagabo construction framework.
The project will transform an existing HFRS training centre, creating facilities designed to replicate the conditions firefighters encounter during operational incidents.
Five-storey live fire training facility planned
The centre will include a five-storey Operational Live Fire Training Facility (OLFT), allowing firefighters to train in controlled environments involving flames and smoke.
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The building will incorporate a range of scenarios, including flat and pitched roofs, garage fires, smoke search and rescue exercises, and simulated residential environments.
A block of flats and two semi-detached houses will feature areas including lounges, bathrooms, stair cores and lifts.
A gantry around the flats will provide a high-rise training environment, while roof access will allow working-at-height exercises.
The structure will be designed to withstand repeated exposure to high temperatures and smoke. Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling has been used to assess heat transfer and smoke movement within the building.
Specialist materials, including refractory tiles and durable bricks, will be installed alongside heat-resistant windows, doors, cabling and mechanical and electrical systems.
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Sensors will monitor temperatures within the building, while an emergency extraction system and control centre will provide additional safety measures.
Mock motorway and specialist facilities
The scheme will also include a full-scale replica six-lane motorway for road traffic collision and motorway incident training.
The facility will feature an overhead steel gantry, central reservation, hard shoulders, road signage and lighting to allow exercises to be carried out during night-time conditions. The site will also be available for training by other emergency services.
Other works include a new appliance bay capable of accommodating three fire appliances, a workshop, substation and motorway training area with highway gantry rescue facilities.
An existing support building will also be refurbished to provide clean rooms and breathing apparatus training and control areas.
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A specialist smoke extraction and filtration system will capture smoke from live fire exercises and process it through an on-site water-based filtration plant.
Construction to continue alongside live operations
Morgan Sindall will carry out the works while the existing HFRS centre remains operational, with construction activity and deliveries planned to minimise disruption to the service.
The project has also incorporated sustainability measures, including photovoltaic panels, energy-efficient building performance and electric vehicle charging points. Biodiversity measures will also be introduced across the site.
Carbon calculations have been carried out during the design using the CarboniCa tool.
Morgan Sindall has begun social value activities linked to the project, including apprenticeships and engagement with schools and the fire service.
Rod Pavey, Morgan Sindall Construction’s Northern Home Counties area director, said: “The groundbreaking ceremony marks an exciting moment in a development we know will play an important role in ensuring Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service have the facilities they need to train and prepare for their life-saving work.
“The new Operational Live Fire Training Facility and mock motorway will significantly increase the range of scenarios that can be safely practised.
“Building spaces that can simulate real-world fires and deal with the resulting smoke is a complex task, and it’s a testament to the skills and experience of the Morgan Sindall team as well as the collaborative relationship we’ve developed with Hertfordshire County Council and fire service that we’re able to design and deliver such facilities.”
