One earlier version of BS5839 recommended smoke detection in corridors only. The rationale being common sense rather than science based. You need to protect your escape route, so stick smoke detectors (SD) there.
But it was found you could get a rip roaring and well developed fire, say in a hotel bedroom, but as only light smoke was in the corridor and was being held away from the ceiling by stratification, there could be a delay in sounding the alarm . Worst still, when guests open their doors to evacuate, the corridor may already be filled with smoke!
A revised BS bought in what we know now as a L3 system. This requires SD in the corridors and stairs (means of escape) plus rooms leading onto the escape route. So now an alarm is raised before any smoke is in the corridor and stratification hold it away from the SD
AFD in voids and high ceilings
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- Messy
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