IT WAS described as a lesson that had to be learned after the deaths of two heroic firefighters in Southampton.

And now, five years after a blaze in Shirley Towers claimed the lives of Alan Bannon and Jim Shears, sprinklers are finally set to be fitted at three tower blocks in the city.

The news has been welcomed by the families of the two men, who have called on councils across the country to follow suit.

City council chiefs are set to approve fitting sprinklers at Shirley Towers, where the firefighters died in 2010, as well as Sturminster House and Albion Towers.

Retrofitting sprinklers was one of the key recommendations made by the coroner who looked into the tragedy.

The pair were among crews attending a fire at Shirley Towers on April 6, 2010, when they died after being overcome by excessive heat after getting trapped by falling cables.

Coroner Keith Wiseman recorded a verdict of death by misadventure, and set out a string of recommendations for how fire services and housing providers should respond to the tragedy.

Daily Echo: James Shears and Alan Bannon.

Firefighters Jim Shears and Alan Bannon

As reported by the Daily Echo last month, one of those recommendations has now become law with new regulations meaning all new wiring systems must use metal rather than plastic to keep cables in place in escape routes.

And now another is set to become a reality, with city council chiefs set to decide on proposals to retrofit sprinkler systems at the three blocks.

A decision on whether to spend £1m on the new systems is set to be made at a cabinet meeting today (Feb 17).

Shirley Towers, Sturminster House and Albion Towers have been chosen as they have a complex “scissor block” design where flats are divided between two separate floor levels and separated by a landing level.

Mr Shears' father, Ed Shears, said: “If the sprinklers had been in operation five years ago they wouldn't have died, it's as simple as that.

“What we want is for that not to happen to any more firefighters, and for no more families to go through this.

“But we don't just want this done in Hampshire - we want this done all around the country.”

Daily Echo:

Charlotte Bannon, wife of Alan, said: “We strongly believe that sprinklers are the best safety improvement for both residents and firefighters that can be made to these high rise properties.”

Hampshire Fire and Rescue's area manager Jason Avery said: “Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service fully supports Southampton City Council in the installation of sprinklers, we have worked closely with them providing professional advice in the scoping study of this project.

“The additional protection offered by sprinklers will improve both resident and firefighter safety.”

Labour council housing boss Warwick Payne said: “It will help improve the fire safety at these blocks.

“It must be stressed that all of the buildings are safe at the moment, but this is about making them even safer.”

Saying it was a complex project that had not been attempted in any council south of Sheffield, he added: “Our advice was that if we should retrofit sprinklers in any three buildings, it would be these three.”

If the plans are approved by the council's cabinet, consultation will be launched with residents and work could be completed by April next year.

The work will be funded through the council's housing and revenue account, which mainly comes from council house rents.