HOW BIG IS THE FIRE HAZARD IN OUR PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES?

HUR BRANDFARLIGA AER VAARA KOLLEKTIVA TRANSPORTMEDEL?

Fire safety precautions in public service vehicles are based on the same requirements as in buildings. The risk of fire in a vehicle is due to technical malfunctions or to vandalism in unmanned vehicles. As the overall weight of vehicles has been reduced over the past few years, so has the proportion of combustible materials. In a bus the total weight of combustible materials is about 10% of gross bus weight, in a modern underground car 7-8% of overall weight and 10% of car weight. Actual weight is 1-1.5 ton. Foamed plastics have replaced the old horsehair upholstery in seats to improve comfort, but this has increased the fire risk. Since traction and auxiliary equipment is separated from the passenger compartment, fire risks due to technical malfunctions are reduced. The greatest risk of fire in public service vehicles is due to vandalism and sabotage. Evacuation of buses and underground cars is easy. Fire fighting is dependent on external conditions; in underground trains extinguishers have had to be put in the driver's cab because of theft and misuse. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Svenska Lokaltrafikforeningen

  P.O. Box 6301
  S-11381 Stockholm,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Lagerberg, E
• Publication Date: 1976

Language

• Swedish

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 6-8
• Serial:
  • Svensk Lokaltrafik
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Svenska Lokaltrafikforeningen

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Building materials; Buses; Emergency vehicles; Fire extinguishers; Fireproof materials; Fires; Gross vehicle weight; Plastic foams; Public transit; Vandalism; Vehicles
• Old TRIS Terms: Public service vehicles
• Subject Areas: Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00146447
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: Analytic
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 20 1981 12:00AM