Fire sprinkler water can reach 100 meters in half a minute

On the morning of yesterday, at an altitude of 305 meters above Maoye Center, the fire department conducted a test on the newly acquired super high-rise water supply main battle fire engine. Reporter Jiang Xu captured the moment with photos.

It's often said that "people go high and water flows down," but the recent introduction of 39 super high-rise water-supply main battle fire engines by Liaoning Fire Protection changes the game. These vehicles can deliver water up to 300 meters in just one minute, a breakthrough in firefighting technology.

Yesterday, at the height of 305 meters above sea level in Shenyang’s Maoye Center—the first high-rise building in Liaoning—the fire department tested the new super high-rise water supply fire truck. In less than a minute, the ground-based fire truck was able to pump water all the way up to the top of the building, demonstrating its remarkable efficiency.

The building, over 305 meters tall, staged a dramatic "Dragon Water Absorption" demonstration. At 9:00 a.m., two super high-rise water supply fire engines were positioned at the construction site of Maoye Plaza. Compared to traditional ladder trucks or water tankers, these vehicles looked more compact and less equipped—without ladders or visible water tanks, they resembled cargo trucks.

At 9:30 a.m., the exercise began. With strong pressure from the fire trucks, water was sent through the internal fire-fighting pipelines of the building to a height of 305 meters. From the ground, the powerful jet of water could be clearly seen, even though it traveled over 300 meters. According to firefighters on-site, the pressure reached 0.4 MPa, and the range was about 15 meters—sufficient to meet fire suppression needs at such heights.

This development addresses a major challenge in fighting fires in buildings over 180 meters tall. Currently, standard fire trucks in Shenyang can only reach 180 meters, while ladder trucks typically max out at 101 meters. For fires above 100 meters, existing equipment struggles to be effective, and water tanks in high-rises are not enough for large-scale blazes.

To tackle this issue, Liaoning Fire Protection has purchased 39 super high-rise water supply main battle fire engines. These units are distributed across the province based on the specific needs of high-rise and super-high-rise buildings. The latest models tested yesterday were designed and manufactured in the United States, with each vehicle costing over 3.9 million yuan.

In addition, Liaoning’s fire department plans to spend 700 million yuan this year on new firefighting equipment, further enhancing their capabilities in urban emergencies.

As of now, there are more than 8,700 high-rise buildings in the province—those exceeding 24 meters in height or having more than 10 floors. Among them, nearly 100 exceed 100 meters, mainly located in cities like 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.