Parking garages are changing. Fire safety must change with them
The article points to a combination of factors: vehicles have become larger, contain more plastics and are often parked closer together in facilities originally designed for smaller cars. At the same time, parking garages increasingly accommodate electric-vehicle chargers, battery energy storage systems, photovoltaic installations and, in some cases, e-bikes and e-scooters. These changes require a broader discussion than the question of whether electric vehicles are more likely to catch fire than conventional vehicles.
Look beyond the type of drivetrain
Available statistics indicate that battery-electric vehicles do not necessarily catch fire more frequently than vehicles powered by internal-combustion engines. However, the behaviour and management of a fire can differ significantly once an electric vehicle’s traction battery becomes involved. Thermal runaway can produce intense heat, flammable and toxic gases, prolonged fire development and a risk of reignition. Because battery packs are designed to withstand weather, water and mechanical damage, it can also be extremely difficult to deliver an extinguishing agent directly to the affected cells.
Nevertheless, focusing exclusively on battery technology would overlook an equally important development: the increasing fire load of modern vehicles in general. Larger vehicles, higher plastic content and reduced distances between parked cars can accelerate fire spread, regardless of the drivetrain.
Major fires in parking facilities have demonstrated how quickly an incident involving one vehicle can develop into a fire affecting multiple vehicles, the building structure and adjoining premises. The potential consequences therefore extend beyond life safety. They can include structural damage, prolonged business interruption, the loss of essential parking infrastructure and disruption to homes, offices, shops or transport facilities connected to the garage.
A holistic fire-safety strategy
Euralarm’s guidance document, Guidance document on Fire Safety of EV Parking Garages, calls for a site-specific and holistic approach. No single measure can address every risk. An effective strategy should consider the building, the vehicles, charging arrangements, operational practices and the expected response of the fire and rescue service as one interconnected system. Depending on the risk assessment, relevant measures can include:
- architectural separation and adequate spacing;
- control of combustible storage and other ignition sources;
- safe positioning and protection of charging equipment;
- systems for disconnecting electrical charging infrastructure;
- early automatic fire detection and alarm;
- automatic water-based fire suppression;
- smoke and heat control;
- clear escape routes and emergency procedures;
- suitable access, water supplies and equipment for firefighters;
- post-incident arrangements addressing possible reignition; and
- regular inspection, testing and maintenance.
The purpose is not simply to detect that a fire has started. It is to identify the incident early enough to initiate evacuation, alert the emergency services and activate measures that can prevent or delay fire spreading from one vehicle to another.
The first minutes are critical
Experience from previous parking-garage fires shows the importance of early detection and prompt alarm transmission. Reliance on members of the public to discover a fire, evacuate and subsequently contact the fire service can result in the loss of valuable minutes. A range of detection technologies may be considered, including point smoke or heat detectors, multicriteria detectors, linear heat detection, flame detection and video fire and smoke detection. The most appropriate solution depends on the geometry and environmental conditions of the facility, as well as the suppression and smoke-control strategy.
Detection should therefore not be specified in isolation. It must be coordinated with other protection systems and with the intended emergency response. Where fire-service attendance is unlikely before a second vehicle becomes involved, detection alone may be insufficient. Automatic suppression can cool the fire area, wet adjacent vehicles and protect the structure, helping to keep the incident manageable until firefighters arrive.
Existing facilities also require attention
The challenge is not confined to new parking garages. Many existing facilities were designed for smaller vehicles, lower fire loads and a different technological environment. Building owners and operators should periodically review whether the original fire strategy remains appropriate. Changes such as the installation of charging points, the concentration of charging in one area, the introduction of battery storage or alterations to the use of adjoining buildings can materially affect the risk.
Inspection, testing and maintenance are equally important. Fire-protection systems that are poorly maintained may not perform as intended when they are needed. Remote supervision can help identify faults early, but it does not replace competent inspection, testing and preventive maintenance.
From minimum compliance to resilience
The CFPA Europe/DBI analysis highlights a wider policy question. Building requirements often concentrate primarily on safe evacuation. While life safety must remain the first priority, a modern fire strategy should also consider structural integrity, emergency-service intervention, infrastructure availability and business continuity.
Parking garages are becoming more complex parts of Europe’s built and energy infrastructure. Their protection should reflect that reality. Euralarm encourages building owners, designers, authorities, insurers, installers and fire-safety specialists to use the available evidence and adopt an integrated, risk-based approach. The Euralarm guidance provides a practical starting point for assessing the risks and combining detection, alarm, extinguishing, smoke control, operational measures and maintenance into a coherent protection strategy.
