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Fire staff warn of electric-vehicle hazards in parking garages; NFPA changes could raise sprinkler needs
Summary
Staff outlined EV fire risks, citing thermal runaway and examples of large parking-structure fires abroad, and proposed local code steps (adopt NFPA changes for parking structures and require higher sprinkler/hydraulic capacity for new permits) pending legal review.
During the April meeting, district staff warned that electric-vehicle (EV) fires present heightened challenges for parking structures, especially podium-style construction with parking below residential units.
Assistant Chief Nearings explained that EV batteries can experience thermal runaway when a single cell fails, a process that can cascade through battery modules and produce much higher temperatures than conventional internal-combustion-engine…
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