A fire curtain is an essential safety device designed to compartmentalise a building during a fire by preventing the spread of flames and smoke.

Made from fire-resistant materials, these automatic curtains deploy from a concealed head box in the ceiling when triggered by a fire alarm or smoke detection system.

Fire curtains help protect escape routes, minimise property damage, and enhance overall fire safety compliance by restricting fire movement within a structure.

Fire curtains are typically installed in large public and commercial spaces where fire compartmentalisation is required.

Common locations include theatres, auditoriums, shopping centres, airports, hotels, hospitals, and office buildings. They are often placed in areas such as atriums, lobbies, open-plan offices, and doorways to prevent the spread of fire and smoke while maintaining an open and flexible building design. Fire curtains can also be integrated into stairwells and elevator shafts to protect escape routes.

Fire curtains are manufactured from high-performance, fire-resistant fabric, typically woven from heavyweight glass fibre. This fabric is reinforced with stainless steel wire to enhance durability and structural integrity. These materials are designed to prevent the passage of heat and smoke while allowing the curtain to remain intact during the fire event.

To further improve fire resistance and smoke containment, the material is coated with a formulated fire-retardant, aluminium pigmented polyurethane coating.

This combination allows fire curtains to withstand extreme temperatures, effectively containing fire and smoke while remaining lightweight and flexible for discreet installation.

Fire curtains are integrated into a building’s fire safety system and are automatically deployed when triggered by heat or smoke detectors. Upon activation, the curtain descends from a concealed head box in the ceiling, creating a fire-resistant barrier that prevents the spread of flames and smoke.

In addition to automatic deployment, fire curtains can also be manually triggered via emergency controls. Some systems include fail-safe mechanisms, such as gravity failsafe operation, ensuring the curtain deploys even in the event of a power failure.

Once the fire risk is mitigated, the curtain can be reset and retracted for normal operation.

Fire curtains are managed through an advanced control panel that allows for different operational modes, including single descent, partial descent with a hold function, and full descent upon activation. These control systems ensure the fire curtain responds effectively to fire detection signals while allowing for flexibility in deployment.

Additional functionality can be achieved by integrating ancillary devices such as:

Egress switches: Allowing controlled emergency exit through the curtain.

Access switches: Enabling authorised personnel to operate the curtain manually.

Obstruction warning systems: Including single and double beam sensors, as well as light curtain obstruction warnings, ensuring the curtain does not descend onto people or objects in its path.