What you should never do if your garage catches fire

by time news

Fires that occur in community garages usually take longer to be detected when they develop in an uncrowded area, so the response time is longer. In turn, they are usually fires that are characterized by their violence, rapid spread and danger to health, because the smoke produced by burning the paint, plastics and rubber of vehicles is very dense and highly toxic.

Since 2017 in Spain, all car parks with an area greater than 500 m2 have been required to undergo a periodic inspection every 10 years, apart from the annual review carried out by each prevention company. In the case of areas smaller than 500 m2, it will not be mandatory to carry out this inspection unless the space is considered high risk.

As explained Jaime Ortegatechnical director of Iberext, «the fires produced in community garages are especially sensitive, since can damage structure and foundations that support the entire building. To prevent its spread, fire doors must always be kept closed and be especially careful not to leave corrosive and easily flammable products. In his experience, in these cases, it is common that we are assailed by the instinctive impulse to try to save our vehicle, an action of which is strongly discouraged ».

From Iberext, a company specialized in fire protection, they propose a series of tips to act if this situation arises and they advise us on the correct day-to-day maintenance of these spaces.

First of all, you don’t have to leave the house. Although it may sound contradictory, when it occurs a fire in a garage we do not know what phase it is in and whether or not the smoke and/or fire has spread through the building. For this reason, we must put wet towels under the doors and go to the room with a window to the outside that is furthest from the main entrance, closing all the doors that separate the entrance of the house from the room in which to take shelter.

Never leave fire doors open in the garage. Although most doors close under their own weight, they often for convenience remain open through a stop. This recklessness could easily cause smoke and fire to spread throughout the building. This point also applies to the rest of the doors that are on the floors or landings.

Combustible materials should not be stored, garbage or cardboard. It is essential that the entire surface of the garage is clean, especially of products for the maintenance of vehicles. These liquids, such as gasoline or oils, are highly flammable.

Know the location of all fire protection elements. It is recommended that the owners who are members of the neighborhood community know how to locate and use the fire extinguishers scattered around the garage. This would help to extinguish a small fire, thus avoiding greater evils. It is vitally important to have the presence of fire detection elements that alert us that an emergency is taking place.

Dispose of specific extinguishing media for new electric chargers. The exponential growth of electric vehicles and mobility devices is increasing the risks in garages both due to the charging areas and due to the accumulation of batteries, mostly from Ion-Li (lithium). Due to the virulence of this type of fire and the toxicity of the gases they produce, it is recommended to have extinguishing media that can encapsulate and significantly reduce their temperature, to prevent their reignition. For this reason, it is recommended that tested extinguishers be available for this type of Li fire, which are more effective than traditional extinguishing agents.

Finally, never leave cars running. Although it is not a risk aspect to cause a fire, it is essential to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide emitted by burning cars, capable of intoxicating a person and, in a short period of time, producing a fainting and even death.

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