Fire sprinkler water can reach 100 meters in half a minute

Yesterday morning, at the height of 305 meters above Maoye Center, the fire department conducted a test on the newly purchased super high-rise water supply main battle fire engine. Reporter Jiang Xu photo

The saying goes “people go high and water flows down,” but with the introduction of 39 advanced super high-rise water-supply fire engines by Liaoning Fire Protection, firefighters can now deliver water to heights of up to 300 meters in just one minute.

On the morning of the test, the first high-rise building in Liaoning Province — Shenyang Maoye Center — stood at 305 meters above sea level. The fire department tested the new super high-rise water supply fire truck, successfully sending a water column from the ground to the top in under a minute.

A dramatic "Dragon water absorption" demonstration was staged, showcasing the power and efficiency of the new equipment.

At 9:00 a.m., two super high-rise water supply fire engines were parked on the construction site of Shenyang Maoye Plaza. Unlike traditional ladder trucks or water tankers, these vehicles were compact and lacked ladders or external tanks, resembling cargo trucks more than firefighting equipment.

By 9:30 a.m., the exercise began. With strong pressure from the fire trucks, water was sent through the internal fire-fighting pipeline inside the building to a height of 305 meters. From the ground, the powerful jet of water could be clearly seen, reaching a pressure of 0.4 MPa and a range of 15 meters — meeting all necessary fire suppression requirements.

These vehicles are specifically designed to tackle fires in buildings over 180 meters tall, a challenge that current fire equipment struggles to address.

Currently, the maximum reach of ladder trucks is around 101 meters, while ordinary fire trucks in Shenyang can only reach up to 180 meters. If a fire occurs above 100 meters, existing equipment often proves inadequate. Water tanks in high-rise buildings also struggle to manage large-scale fires effectively.

To address this issue, Liaoning Fire Protection has acquired 39 super high-rise water supply fire engines. These are distributed across the province based on the needs of high-rise and super-high-rise buildings.

Firefighters explained that domestic fire vehicles cannot achieve a water pressure sufficient for 300-meter heights. The tested units are all made in the United States, with each vehicle costing over 3.9 million yuan. This year, Liaoning Fire Department plans to invest 700 million yuan in additional fire-fighting equipment.

As of now, there are more than 8,700 high-rise buildings in the province (over 24 meters or 10 floors), including nearly 100 buildings over 100 meters tall. Most are located in Shenyang, Dalian, and Anshan. Shenyang alone has over 3,100 high-rise buildings, including more than 70 over 100 meters. Dalian has over 2,800 high-rises, with 20 exceeding 100 meters.

Additionally, 3,507 high-rise buildings are currently under construction, including 37 super high-rises. This expansion highlights the growing need for advanced firefighting solutions in urban development.