Strange run-in with the fire service

[Traguar]

I was at an event yesterday (Shoreham Heavy Horse for those interested) and noticed as I drove up to the marshals that there were signs directing EV's to specific parking area (note, not hybrids, just EV). The Marshal informed me that after dropping my trade stand I would have to remove my car and park it with the other EV's. When I question this I was told the fire service had ordered it in case any of the cars caught fire.
I thought we had managed to move on from this kind of thing?

 

[Roy B]

I think the idea must be to have all the EVs parked next to each other, so that if one catches fire is sets all the others alight.

 

[Lord Farquad]

Thank god they didn’t put all the cars filled with highly flammable petrol near each other

'All vehicles destroyed': fire guts Liverpool multistorey car park

Horse show cancelled and area evacuated but no one injured as firefighters tackled blaze at Liverpool Echo Arena

www.theguardian.com

 

[Skie]

Thank god they didn’t put all the cars filled with highly flammable petrol near each other

'All vehicles destroyed': fire guts Liverpool multistorey car park

Horse show cancelled and area evacuated but no one injured as firefighters tackled blaze at Liverpool Echo Arena

www.theguardian.com

And one of the biggest causes of that fires spread was burning fuel leaking out, running under other cars and melting their plastic fuel tanks.

Honestly the EVs are probably safer away from them!

 

[connectjunkie]

Ironic since EVs are less likely to catch fire than ICE cars. They probably should have had a car park for the plug-in hybrids: Gas vs. Electric Car Fires [2022 Findings] | AutoinsuranceEZ.com

 

[Irata]

When I question this I was told the fire service had ordered

I wouldn't necessarily take this as fact, it is clearly stated as hearsay by the marshal.

I would not be surprised in some committee meeting during the planning stage, someone was under pressure to complete a mandatory risk register and produce some risk assessments - so they did just that. Turned up next meeting with all the paperwork and they all gave themselves a pat on the back.

Maybe I'm a bit cynical, but I do see this happen.

At least the EVs had the luxury parking, wouldn't want to mix with the chain smokers would we.

 

[GRiLLA]

Not an ounce of logic in that, highly unlikely to be anything to do with the fire service.

If by their facebook opinion that EVs are far more flammable it would make no sense to put them next to each other, that would make a larger and more difficult fire for the fire brigade to tackle.

 

[DerbyCityY]

The only thing I have ever heard of was that catalytic converters could possibly catch hay or dry grass on fire in a field, although I've never seen this happen here in Kentucky.

 

[CyberGus]

I could see EV fires being an issue where access to water is limited. While EV fires are rare, extinguishing a thermal-runaway event requires copious volumes of water.

 

[GRiLLA]

I could see EV fires being an issue where access to water is limited. While EV fires are rare, extinguishing a thermal-runaway event requires copious volumes of water.

So why put them all next to each other, would be a far higher risk by that same logic.

 

[CyberGus]

So why put them all next to each other, would be a far higher risk by that same logic.

I'm suggesting that the EVs needed to be further away from people/structures, not necessarily each other, due to the difficulty of extinguishing such a fire. Safety regulations protect people over property.

It's complete speculation on my part, but I can envision a scenario where obtaining a permit for a large off-grid event would include special fire-mitigation restrictions due to limited water access.

 

[GRiLLA]

I'm suggesting that the EVs needed to be further away from people/structures, not necessarily each other, due to the difficulty of extinguishing such a fire. Safety regulations protect people over property.

It's complete speculation on my part, but I can envision a scenario where obtaining a permit for a large off-grid event would include special fire-mitigation restrictions due to limited water access.

If there were structures, then its highly likely there would be water. I've been to lots of events all-round the UK and it's never a thing. Far simpler explanation is that there is one battery fearing simpleton making up fictious rules, that's very British.

 

[jschnee21]

The only thing I have ever heard of was that catalytic converters could possibly catch hay or dry grass on fire in a field, although I've never seen this happen here in Kentucky.

In the Northeast, in the Autumn there are often ICE car fires when folks park on top of piles of dry leaves in the gutter. The catalytic converters can set the leaves on fire.

 

[JHCCAZ]

In the Northeast, in the Autumn there are often ICE car fires when folks park on top of piles of dry leaves in the gutter. The catalytic converters can set the leaves on fire.

Throughout the USA, there has been a huge rash of catalytic converter theft (BTW a crime greatly simplified by the now wide availability of portable Li-on battery-powered cutoff tools!).

I just looked, over 50,000 reports in 2021 alone.

So considering the fire hazard of catalytic converters, also in the spirit of looking on the bright side, and following another recent trend of redefining almost everything to reduce hurtful pejorative characterizations of obviously desperate and marginalized persons who are probably just trying to feed their families - we should stop branding them as thieves and start identifying them as Volunteer Firefighters.

 

[Irata]

Throughout the USA, there has been a huge rash of catalytic converter theft (BTW a crime greatly simplified by the now wide availability of portable Li-on battery-powered cutoff tools!).

I just looked, over 50,000 reports in 2021 alone.

So considering the fire hazard of catalytic converters, also in the spirit of looking on the bright side, and following another recent trend of redefining almost everything to reduce hurtful pejorative characterizations of obviously desperate and marginalized persons who are probably just trying to feed their families - we should stop branding them as thieves and start identifying them as Volunteer Firefighters.

Yep, sadly the rise of catalytic converter theft is in the UK as well. I don't know the statistics here, but it is regularly reported in the local news.

You have come to the right forum with such a polished satirical view on life.