Combined fire detection and evacuation system installed at Turin retail store

KOKO Emporio is a value and family retailer with several stores across Torino and Moncalieri, offering home and lifestyle products alongside clothing.

The store spans 800 square metres across a ground floor and basement. On a busy retail floor, aisles and stock displays can make it harder for customers to find the nearest exit in an emergency, particularly those unfamiliar with the layout. The store needed a fire detection system that met current compliance requirements alongside emergency lighting capable of guiding staff and customers to safety during a fire or power failure.

ELE.CO SRL specified Hochiki's FIREscape+, which combines ESP intelligent fire detection with emergency lighting on a single four loop control panel. ALN-EN smoke sensors with adjustable sensitivity were installed throughout to reduce false alarms. EN 54-23 compliant visual alarm devices were added to make alarm activation clearly visible to every occupant, working alongside ESP sounders to give full audible coverage.

The basement presented a particular challenge. It houses separate retail and warehouse areas, with long aisles lined by stock boxes and a stairway connecting the two levels. The emergency lighting needed to keep the space illuminated and evacuation routes clear during a power outage. High power luminaires connected to the FIREscape+ panel now cover this area, guiding staff and customers to the nearest exit if the power fails or an evacuation is needed.

Ervin Peza, owner of ELE.CO SRL, said: "Hochiki's FIREscape+ system reduced installation costs significantly compared to installing two separate systems, making it the right choice for this application. Combining fire and emergency lighting on a single panel and loop reduces cabling, which simplifies both installation and maintenance."

He added: "KOKO's new integrated fire and emergency lighting system means the store can run smoothly, day to day, with customers confident that any fire will be picked up quickly and that they can find their way to safety. Hochiki's addressable technology means the system can pinpoint the exact location of an incident and guide people along the safest route out, even if the power goes down."

The installation demonstrates how a single, addressable fire and emergency lighting system can meet the practical demands of a busy, multi-site retail environment, giving store owners one system to manage rather than two. For specifiers working across multiple European sites, the approach offers a way to standardise fire safety and evacuation provision without adding separate systems at each location.

Learn more about the installation at KoKo.