Dragons Heart Hospital

When Cardiff's Principality Stadium was converted into a 2,000-bed NHS field hospital during the coronavirus pandemic, Ceaton Security Services' Fire Division was contracted to design and install the fire detection system, using Hochiki products.

Exterior view of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, seen from the riverside on a clear sunny day, with its distinctive white steel masts and retractable roof structure visible against a blue sky.

When plans were revealed to turn Cardiff's Principality Stadium into a 2,000-bed field hospital to ease pressure on the NHS from the coronavirus pandemic, the Fire Division of Ceaton Security Services Limited, based in Cardiff, were contracted to design and install the vital fire detection system, utilising Hochiki products.

The Hochiki FIRElink 25 and FIRElink 100 high sensitivity smoke detectors, shown side by side. Both units are light grey metal enclosures featuring the Hochiki branding and three status indicators labelled Fire, Fault and OK. The larger FIRElink 100 sits behind the smaller FIRElink 25.

The temporary hospital is key for providing additional capacity to support the NHS and was named “Dragon's Heart Hospital”, a name chosen by staff and the public from over 2,000 responses. It becomes the second biggest hospital in the UK, after the Nightingale Hospital in London which was also set up to deal with the pandemic.

Designed and operational in incredibly tight timescales, The Dragon’s Heart hospital will help fight the COVID-19 pandemic with the first operational beds already up and running in dedicated areas within the existing stadium. Work is continuing at pace to complete the new ward infrastructure on and around the pitch. This includes building one of Europe’s largest tented structures under the stadium’s closed roof and constructing large raised platforms over the lower stands.

The Ceaton team worked closely with their counterparts at Hochiki Europe, who were also able to support on some of the design challenges, utilising the flexibility and reliability of Hochiki’s FIRElink Aspirating Smoke Detection system to meet the unique requirements of this project.

Paul Biggs, Acting Fire Division Manager, thanked Hochiki for its advice and assistance during the early stage of the project, saying:

“Hochiki’s support went way beyond any expectations and with their assistance and the rest of the team working so hard to complete this urgent project, we have been able to deliver a reliable system, in very tight timescales, that will protect staff and patients alike”.

Martin Green, Hochiki’s Regional Sales Manager for the South West added:

“I was asked to get involved in this project by Ceaton right at the start as they needed advice and assurance that we could support them in terms of stock availability and quick delivery – it has been unlike anything I’ve worked on before, the sheer scale of the build and the extremely short schedule were major challenges to all involved. But I was pleased to assist Angie, Paul and their team and was able to assure them that Hochiki remains fully operational during the current crisis and is ready to support any of our customers, on any project where a level of advice is required”.

Smoke sensor not mounted onto a ceiling or surface

Ceaton Security Services remain on site whilst the rest of the hospital comes together, extending the fire detection system as and when required in what is continuing to be a complex install.

Angie concludes:

“We carried on putting everything we have into getting this installation completed, it’s such an important build for the Cardiff area. We love the fact that we were involved in a scheme that combined two well-established Welsh institutions – the NHS, born in Wales, and the home of Welsh rugby".

If you would like to find out more about Ceaton Security Services visit: https://www.ceaton.co.uk/

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