Bristol Voi e-scooter warehouse had no fire alarms before blaze

Published 7 March 2022

A warehouse where 200 e-scooters were damaged in a fire on New Year's Day
was not fitted with fire alarms or smoke detectors, a report has found.

Despite around 300 highly-flammable lithium-ion batteries being stored at
the building in Bristol, it contained just one fire extinguisher.

A report ruled the blaze was accidental and caused by batteries
overcharging or tangled extension cords overheating.

E-scooter company, Voi, said safety is its "first priority".

Spokesman Matthew Pencharz said the firm was "fully compliant with all UK Health and Safety regulations in its warehouses".

He said the fire happened at a "third-party warehouse" in Brislington, and
the official report by Avon Fire and Rescue Service stated that this
incident was "accidental due to an electrical fault".

Firefighters from Avon Fire and Rescue Service spent more than four hours dealing with the blaze and its aftermath.

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The fire report - released to the BBC under a Freedom of Information
request - said that the warehouse had no rear door and its sole entrance
was a metal shutter which firefighters had to cut through.

'Smoke damaged'

The report added that the "whole unit was heavily smoke damaged" and fire
crews had to remove all 203 e-scooters for "safety reasons".

The fire inspector's notes said that all of the battery charging banks were involved in the fire.
They were all removed and placed in water, it said.

A wall at the back of the room suffered a "significant burn" near to where
the battery chargers were being stored.

The fire investigator wrote: "There were no smoke or heat detectors inside
the building and no fire suppression system.

"I found only one medium sized extinguisher in the whole building."

'Doesn't happen again'

Under UK fire alarm regulations all commercial and business premises must
have an appropriate fire detection system.

The regulations also state that the responsible person in a business "must
take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees".

Mr Pencharz added: "We have worked closely with Avon Fire and Rescue
Service to thoroughly investigate and implement all necessary measures to ensure this situation doesn't happen again, including thoroughly auditing
the processes and practices in all places where work is undertaken on
behalf of Voi."

Steve Quinton, from the fire service, said: "We continue to work together
with Voi and welcome the steps forward they are taking to adjust their
current policies and procedures."

<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-60647099>

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