Life-Saving Technology in Case of Fire: Next-Generation Safety Standards for Cables

Given the increasing use of electricity and the increasingly complex building infrastructures today, what role do cables play in fire safety? Why is cable performance vital during a fire?

According to Istanbul Fire Department data, an electrical fire occurs every 7 minutes in Türkiye. In Europe, a fire occurs every 30 seconds, with 21% of these fires being caused by electrical faults. These figures clearly show that a significant portion of fires are caused by electrical short circuits and faulty installations. More importantly, these fires lead to loss of life and injuries every year. 

Rising electricity consumption and increasingly complex infrastructures are increasing the risk of fires on a global scale. This clearly demonstrates the strategic role that products used in electrical infrastructure play in terms of fire safety.

Cables play a critical role in fires because they are among the key elements that determine the speed of flame spread, the amount of smoke produced, and the toxicity level of that smoke.

Substandard or low-fire-performance cables can rapidly transmit flames during a fire, creating dense and toxic smoke that significantly shortens evacuation time. This increases both the risk of loss of life and material damage. In contrast, high-fire-performance cables delay the spread of flames, limit smoke density and toxic gas release, thus providing vital time for the safe evacuation of people.

Therefore, cables are not just products that transmit energy, but an integral part of fire safety, life safety, and building integrity. Especially in high-risk areas such as hospitals, schools, shopping malls, tunnels, and data centers, the use of fire-resistant cables is not a preference, but a vital necessity.

In today's world, where fire safety has become so critical, how does Nexans approach this area? What kinds of solutions do you offer in terms of products, technology, and processes?

At Nexans, we treat fire safety cables not just as a product, but as a critical safety element that needs end-to-end management. From design to production, testing to certification, we adopt pioneering approaches in the industry at all stages, developing cables that offer reliable performance in the event of a fire and possess advanced fire resistance certifications.

In Türkiye, we have separate R&D laboratories located in both of our factories for the field of fire safety. We are the only manufacturer in Türkiye with two separate fire safety R&D laboratories. In these laboratories, we test critical performance criteria of our cables in-house, such as flame spread, smoke density, and toxic gas emission.

Our fundamental mission behind these R&D investments is to achieve and continuously advance the highest international standards in fire-resistant cables that we produce in Türkiye and export worldwide. In this way, we aim to provide solutions not only for today's fire safety needs but also for those of the future.

Nexans has made an important decision to raise its production standards. What are the reasons behind the decision to switch from class Eca to class Cca in the Construction Products Regulation, and what does this step mean in terms of fire safety?

We believe that the Construction Products Regulation should be considered not merely a regulatory requirement, but as a strategic framework centered on life safety. At Nexans Turkey, we have been working for a long time to make this approach more understandable, applicable, and sustainable for both our customers and industry stakeholders. Because we see this transformation not just as legislation, but as a shared responsibility concerning the future of building safety and urban life.

In our daily lives, we are increasingly surrounded by electrical systems, more complex infrastructures, and consequently, denser cable networks. This transformation is making fire safety no longer a technical detail, but a fundamental safety necessity.

With this sense of responsibility, we have decided to upgrade all the cables we produce in the Eca class to the Cca level, which offers higher fire performance, by 2026. Instead of settling for the minimum requirements of the legislation, we aimed to raise the bar in fire safety across the industry.

Our CCA-rated cables not only delay the spread of flames but also significantly reduce smoke density and acidic gas emissions. This helps to gain those crucial "golden minutes" for evacuation in case of a fire.

Nexans fire safety products limit smoke emissions and acid gas emissions, significantly reducing the risk of smoke inhalation, which is responsible for approximately 80 percent of fire-related deaths.

With this transition decision, we aim not only to raise our own production standards, but also to make a strong contribution to the creation of safer electrical infrastructures against fire in Türkiye.

What is the role of R&D in the development of fire-resistant cables? How does Nexans Türkiye's R&D infrastructure, located in Tuzla and Denizli, make a difference in this field?

As Nexans Turkey, we position our Tuzla and Denizli factories as global centers of excellence in the production and R&D of fire-resistant cables. The work we carry out in these facilities serves as a reference not only for the Turkish market but also for Nexans' global production and product development strategies.

Our fire testing laboratory in Tuzla is recognized as a center of excellence within the Nexans Group and serves as a model for our global production network. Here, we subject our cables to advanced testing processes for critical performance criteria such as fire resistance, flame spread, smoke density, and acidity.

Of course, we manufacture all our products in accordance with all relevant legislation, primarily the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). For us, achieving minimum compliance with standards is not enough; our goal is to lead the sector by developing solutions that surpass global standards in fire safety performance.

As a concrete example of this approach, our Tuzla factory was awarded the “Most Digital Factory” award in 2024. Furthermore, according to Turkish Time data, in 2025, Nexans Turkey was among the top 10 companies investing the most in R&D. These achievements clearly demonstrate that we place R&D and innovation at the heart of our business strategy.

What are the key characteristics that differentiate CCA class cables, which have a high fire performance according to the Construction Products Regulation, from standard cables? How do these technical differences provide an advantage in terms of life and property safety in the event of a fire?

Our Cca class cables, with their high fire performance, make a difference in fire safety under five key headings. These features have a direct impact on many critical points, from fire spread to the evacuation process.

1. Limiting flame spread: Class Cca cables are designed to prevent flames from rapidly spreading along the cable path during a fire. In buildings where electrical installations play a decisive role in fire behavior, this feature significantly contributes to fire control and reducing the rate of spread.

2. Minimizing heat release: Cca-class cables release less heat, which accelerates the ignition of surrounding building materials during a fire. This reduces the risk of the fire spreading through secondary ignitions.

3. Reducing smoke production: A large proportion of fatalities in fires are due to dense smoke. Class Cca cables, with their low smoke density, help maintain visibility and breathing conditions in escape corridors, supporting safe evacuation.

4. Limiting the release of acidic and toxic gases: Thanks to their halogen-free structure, Cca class cables minimize the release of corrosive and toxic gases during a fire. This facilitates the safe evacuation of people without being affected by smoke, and also makes the intervention of fire crews safer and more effective.

5. Prevention of Burning Droplets: During a fire, cables melt and scatter burning fragments, posing one of the biggest risks of the fire spreading to lower floors or other areas. Our CCA-rated cables help keep the fire localized by limiting the formation of burning droplets, physically preventing the spread of flames.

In an era where topics such as electrification, energy transition, and fire safety are rapidly gaining importance on a global scale, what strategic priorities stand out in Nexans' 2026 roadmap? What is the role of Türkiye's operations in this vision?

With a rich history spanning over 140 years, Nexans centers its operations around electrification, defining its core business as encompassing the entire process from electricity generation and transmission to distribution and consumption in cities. Combining deep industry expertise with advanced innovation, our company aims to accelerate the energy transition and provide more effective solutions to our customers' evolving needs. Our E3 business model, focused on Environment, Economy, and Employee Engagement, guides all our strategic decisions by aligning performance with purpose.

Today, Nexans provides global electrification services with 28,500 employees in 41 countries. It generated €7.8 billion in sales revenue in 2025. Recognized for its leadership in climate action, Nexans is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Science-Based Targets (SBTi) initiative, while also continuing its efforts to expand access to energy through the Fondation Nexans.

As an important part of this global vision, we are strategically positioning our factories in Denizli and Tuzla as bases for fire-resistant cable production and R&D activities.

As Nexans Turkey, while offering cutting-edge technologies in projects with high security requirements such as hospitals, schools, shopping malls, hotels, and data centers, we also aim to make a strong contribution to the creation of safer electrical infrastructures against fire in Türkiye.