Fire Detection in Basement Car Parking Area

People are not always present or alert in all parts of premises even during normal occupancy hours. Premises may remain unattended or unsupervised for long and short periods. Car parking is one such area in which the likelihood of fire is high. Installation of fire detectors enables early detection and easy extinction by reducing delay between ignition and start of fire fighting measures.

Whenever optical density of smoke exceeds 0.1 dB/m (10 m visibility), temperature rises beyond 66°C and concentration of carbon monoxide 10 atmosphere exceeds 0.04 percent, and human survival is endangered. An alarm should be initiated before these limits are reached so that the occupants are able to escape to safety.

A typical fire hazard in a parking area may be a short circuit in electrical cables, or a technical fault in vehicles or flammable materials catching fire from flying sparks from welding or careless handling of smoking , rubber abrasion from the tires

So it is suggested to use heat detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in parking areas.

Though Heat detector sense the fire only after sensing 68 deg C, it is always suggested to use heat detectors, so that the alarm can be raised and fire can be dealt quickly.  Due to the significant fire load of the parked cars, a fire which is not detected and dealt with quickly can develop into a fire that is very difficult to extinguish and may even threaten the stability of the building.

Carbon monoxide detectors on the other hand based on the CO concentration and generate a warning when a dangerous CO concentration is reached which can be used to trigger the ventilation system so that human life will not be endangered.

IS2189 Cl# 5.2.2.3 states that as flammable liquid in small quantities stored in confined spaces where ambient temperature is high or where chances of rapid heat build-up exist (such as garages, repair shops, store areas, battery rooms, etc) heat or flame detectors should be provided.

Though NBC 2016 does not mandate the use of heat detectors in car parking areas it is not stopping the usage of detectors in parking areas.