Fire Hazard Analysis of Modern Vehicles in Parking Facilities

Vehicle fires in parking structures developing into large conflagrations are rare but can result in severe economic losses. It is important to understand the hazard posed by modern vehicle fires to determine whether current fire codes for parking garages are mandating adequate fire protection requirements. There has been an increase in the fire hazard from changes in vehicle design and increased use of plastics and other combustible materials in vehicle construction, along with denser parking of vehicles in parking structures. This manifests as faster flame spread within the vehicle, easier ignition and more rapid fire spread to neighboring vehicles. Based on the findings, test data from vehicles older than 2000-2005 model years should not be used as basis for development of codes and regulations. Open parking structures emerge as the main area of concern regarding fires in modern vehicles. The lack of any requirements for active protection systems in the fire codes, and trends in vehicle and garage design suggest that large, devastating fires in these structures could become increasingly common. The spread of fire between vehicles, especially from the initial to the second and third vehicles, is critical in determining the extent of the fire and the ability of the fire department to successfully control and extinguish. Future research should be conducted into earlier detection, sprinkler protection, and fire spread between vehicles to address the hazard.