Chester High Rise Electric Bike Sprinkler Save

• Fire Rescue Service; Cheshire
• Date of incident; 28 February 2022
• Time of incident; 01:30
• Location; Chester, Glyn Garth
• Occupancy; 13 storey blocks of flats
• Housing Provider; Sanctuary Housing
• Location of incident; Flat, lounge
• Ignition source; electrical
• Automatic Fire Suppression System, BS9251:2014
• Retrofitted

Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service (CFRS) have reported the above-mentioned incident involving a Ebike which caught light due to an electrical charging fault.

The premises Automatic Fire Suppression System immediately operated with the activation of 1 sprinkler head extinguishing the fire, operational crews attended from Chester, Powey Lane fire stations

The resident was asleep in the property at the time of the incident but due to the activation of  the sprinkler system no injuries were reported

• This incident clearly reinforces the decision by Sanctuary Housing, the uk’s largest housing to retrofit sprinklers in all their high-rise residential buildings providing a further layer of safety from fire for all their residents
• London Fire Brigade, Fire Investigators have issued an urgent warning over fires involving e-bike batteries encouraging people who use these products to be aware of the risks
• From July 2021, LFB have attended more than 25 fires involving electric bikes or scooters, resulting in significant incidents, serious injuries
• The danger of ebike fires should not be underestimated, the outcome of this incident could have been so much different if it was not for the premises sprinkler system.

Sprinkler systems;

• Save lives
• Protect property
• Provide an extra layer of safety for both residents/firefighters
• Reduce carbon, clear benefits for the environment

The risk of e-bike fires is a relatively new fire risk being brought into our homes, dwellings. It is therefore paramount that consideration is given for sprinkler coverage to include bike stores for residential buildings

Links

• British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association, Feature; What if, two fires, one day, two different outcomes
• Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
• London Fire Brigade press release Urgent warning over fires involving e-bike batteries