Multi-Storey Car Park Fire - Liverpool, United Kingdom

[BritishAndy]

A bit late reporting, but my local brigade (department) had one of the largest and most difficult fires for many years on New Years Eve when a 7-storey multi-storey car park was completely totalled.

https://news.sky.com/story/fire-has-destroyed-all-vehicles-in-large-liverpool-car-park-police-say-11191272

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-42542556

The car park is part of the Liverpool Echo Arena Convention Centre which is situated on our waterfront. It is a fairly new build and has capacity for 1,600 vehicles.

The fire started in a 1980's Land Rover which was located on Level 3 (3rd floor) of the 6-storey building and the first call came in at around 16:45pm. The initial response was two pumps (engine companies), however over the next couple of hours the entire structure became fully engulfed and all 1,400 vehicles that were located in the car park were completely destroyed.

Total response was around 22 pumps (engines), 3 aerial platforms, 3 high volume pumping units plus numerous special call apparatus. In total around 130 personnel.

I would be interested to hear what the protocol and response is initially for a fire in a multi-storey car park for you guys, because questions are being asked how the fire managed to spread from one vehicle to 1,399 more.

 

[Bulldog]

I don't believe I ever heard of a fire in a parking structure and destroyed more than 10 or 12 cars.  I have certainly never heard of a fire that destroyed the structure and all of the vehicles in it.  Was there any kind of fixed fire protection (sprinklers) in the building at all?  Most of the modern parking garages here have sprinkler systems built into them which obviously help significantly on every level except the top 1.

 

[BritishAndy]

I don't believe I ever heard of a fire in a parking structure and destroyed more than 10 or 12 cars.  I have certainly never heard of a fire that destroyed the structure and all of the vehicles in it.  Was there any kind of fixed fire protection (sprinklers) in the building at all?  Most of the modern parking garages here have sprinkler systems built into them which obviously help significantly on every level except the top 1.

I believe whilst there was extinguishers provided on each level, there was certainly no sprinklers. The mayor of Liverpool has asked the question why a relatively new structure was not fitted with them. That aside, to lose the entire structure and all 1,400 cars inside is some going.