Fire Detection in Car Basement Parking Areas

Photo by Rendy Novantino on Unsplash

People are not always present or alert in all parts of premises, even during regular occupancy hours. As a result, 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 the delay between ignition and start of fire fighting measures.

Whenever the optical density of smoke exceeds 0.1 dB/m (10 m visibility), the temperature rises beyond 66°C, carbon monoxide in the atmosphere exceeds 0.04 percent, and human survival is endangered. Therefore, an alarm should be initiated before these limits are reached so that the occupants can 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 detectors 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 with quickly.  Due to the significant fire load of the parked cars, a fire that is not detected and dealt with quickly can develop into a challenging fire to extinguish and may even threaten the stability of the building.

Carbon monoxide detectors, on the other hand, are 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.

 As per NFPA 72- 2019, Carbon Monoxide Detectors shall be installed on the ceiling in the same room where permanently-installed fuel-burning appliances are located, which means in car parking areas

Though NBC 2016 does not mandate the use of heat detectors in car parking areas, IS2189 Cl# 5.2.2.3 states that as a flammable liquid in small quantities stored in confined spaces where the 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.

Written by Kanchana R