The fire in the underground Singelgarage in Alkmaar started early this morning in a closed section on the second floor. Due to the dense smoke and heat, the fire brigade was unable to enter and fire-fighting robots had to be used.
Arson is not excluded. A suspect has since been arrested. The role of the suspect in the outbreak of the fire is still being investigated.
Concerns about electric cars
Experts have previously expressed concerns about extinguishing electric cars. Next week, the Physical Safety Institute will issue new guidelines on fighting fire in electric vehicles in parking garages. Desperately needed, because the number of electric cars in our country is increasing significantly.
Extinguishing electric cars is also a lot more drastic than a normal petrol car. For example, the burning battery is difficult to extinguish and all kinds of flammable substances are released during a fire. The burning time of these cars is also much longer, which means that more heat is released.
An electric car that has caught fire must then be immersed in a container full of liquid. The cars have to be in such a bath for days.
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Closed for days
The extent of the damage in the Alkmaar parking garage should become clear in the coming days. There were about 150 cars in the garage. Dozens of cars have been damaged.
The parking garage will remain closed for days because the building needs to be inspected.
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