Restoring Fire Compartmentation at IKEA Exeter: A Two-Day Fire Stopping Project

Large retail environments welcome thousands of visitors every week, which makes fire safety compliance absolutely critical. Maintaining effective fire compartmentation helps prevent the spread of fire and smoke, protecting customers, staff, and property whilst ensuring businesses remain compliant with UK fire safety regulations.

Recently, Evotech Fire & Security was commissioned to deliver a targeted programme of remedial fire stopping works at the IKEA store in Exeter following building modifications. The project required careful planning, technical expertise, and efficient execution to ensure the work was completed safely and without disruption to daily store operations.

Project Background

Following recent refurbishment works and service alterations at the Exeter store, several penetrations had been introduced through fire-rated walls and floors. These penetrations required compliant fire stopping to restore the integrity of the building’s fire compartmentation system.

Evotech Fire & Security attended site to complete remedial works across multiple areas of the building, including retail, warehouse, and back-of-house spaces.

Despite the complexity of the environment, the full scope of works was completed over a two-day programme, delivered efficiently and with zero disruption to store operations.

Fire Safety Challenges in Large Retail Environments

Large-format retail stores such as IKEA present several unique fire protection challenges, including:

• Extensive compartmentation across retail, warehouse, and operational areas
• Large volumes of mechanical and electrical services passing through fire-rated walls and floors
• Continuous public access requiring minimal disruption to operations
• Strict compliance requirements under UK fire safety legislation and insurer standards

Following the refurbishment works, a number of service penetrations required compliant fire stopping to restore the fire-resisting construction. These included:

• Cable tray and containment penetrations
• Pipework penetrations
• Small service openings through compartment walls
• Linear gaps created during alteration works

Each installation needed to meet the required fire resistance rating in line with the building’s original specification and current UK standards.

Our Approach

Evotech Fire & Security followed a structured and fully compliant process to ensure the works were delivered safely and effectively.

1. Detailed Site Survey

Our engineers began with a comprehensive inspection to assess every penetration and determine the most appropriate fire stopping solution. This survey included identifying:

• The type and size of each opening
• The construction of surrounding materials (blockwork, plasterboard, or composite panels)
• The required fire resistance rating
• Suitable third-party tested and certified fire stopping systems

This stage ensured the correct system was specified for each individual installation.

2. Certified Fire Stopping Installation

Using tested and approved fire protection systems, our engineers completed the necessary installations throughout the building. Depending on the penetration type and size, we installed:

• Fire-rated sealants and mastics
• Fire batt and mastic systems for larger service openings
• Linear gap seals where required

All works were carried out strictly in accordance with manufacturer instructions and fire test certification, ensuring compliance and long-term performance.

3. Labelling and Compliance Documentation

To support ongoing fire safety management, each installation was:

• Clearly labelled for identification
• Logged for traceability
• Documented for the client’s compliance records

This provides the client with a clear audit trail and simplifies future inspection, maintenance, and regulatory reviews.

Health & Safety in a Live Retail Environment

Delivering construction works within an operational retail store requires careful coordination and strict safety management.

Our team worked closely with store management to ensure the works were completed safely and with minimal impact. This included:

• Pre-start coordination with site management
• Segregation of work areas where required
• Maintaining clean and controlled working practices
• Completing all tasks in accordance with site-specific Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS)

The project was completed without incident and without affecting store operations.

The Results

The project delivered clear and measurable outcomes for the client:

• Fire compartmentation fully reinstated
• Compliance with UK fire safety standards
• Full documentation for compliance and record keeping
• All works completed within two days
• Zero disruption to customers or store staff
• No defects or call-backs following completion
• Supporting Safer Commercial Buildings

This project highlights Evotech Fire & Security’s ability to deliver high-quality, compliant fire stopping solutions within complex commercial environments.

By combining technical expertise, careful planning, and efficient on-site delivery, we ensured that fire compartmentation at IKEA Exeter was effectively restored - helping protect life safety, property, and business continuity.