A British homebuilder, Lewisham Homes, has become an advocate for fire sprinklers in homes, funding research that demonstrates their effectiveness against fires originating in mobility scooters. Storing and charging these scooters, which are becoming more commonplace, presents a fire hazard that the homebuilder believes should be addressed.
Partnering with the London Fire Brigade, the British Research Establishment (BRE) and the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA), Lewisham sponsored tests at BRE that demonstrated the ability of residential sprinkler systems to provide protection for scooters equipped with either traditional lead-acid batteries or newer lithium batteries. Lewisham Homes has adopted a policy of providing sprinkler protection for its sheltered accommodations for older residents.
A link to the May 2016 research report and test video can be found at: http://lhomes.org.uk/1P3rLnR
