Mobility Scooters

[Mike Buckley]

I have recently seen this comment from an enforcing officer in a brigade:

"There has been recent evidence within the area of mobility scooters catching fire whilst being driven."

Has anyone had experience of this actually occuring and how significant is it?

[SamFIRT]

Charged yes.

Driven no... not in my experience anyway.

[colin todd]

 Michael, It has happened while one was being driven.  The user had to be rescued by passers by.  I am sure the old geezer in question thought that it was a very significant episode in his life. There is a need for a BS on the fire safety of mobility scooters, hopefully before Kurnal requires the use of one, though there may not be time before his diminishing faculties demand the provision of one.  I have raised this with BSI.

[SamFIRT]

*interested*

Can you point us in the direction of a report on this incident please Colin.

Either FRS or media?

[Mike Buckley]

Found this:

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Carer-saves-pensioner-mobility-scooter-explodes/story-13078523-detail/story.html

[Mike Buckley]

Also

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8542786.stm

http://www.esfrs.org/blackmuseum/mobilityScooter.shtml

http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/local/mobility_scooter_caused_fatal_fire_1_1621502

http://www.pacts.org.uk/westminster-hall-debates.php?id=21

It seems we have two incidents in the last few years where a mobility scooter caught fire on its own and one case of arson. On the other hand there are aconcerns about people driving the things.

[SamFIRT]

Thanks

The Leicestershire incident is interesting. First one I have heard of igniting when it was being used ?! 

The parliamentary debate seems to be only about driving standards and not ignition 

The others appear to be arising from overnight charging or alleged arson? 

Oh and I couldn’t make the Sussex black museum open from home I will try at work. 

[Mike Buckley]

The Black museum one was a scooter in a flat which was put down to an electrical fault however the scooter was not on charge.

The issue appears to be one of perception. I can see that the EOs in Leicestershire will be against the use of these scooters inside buildings as they have first hand experince of one going up, however looking at the history there only seem to be four instances of scooters catching fire in the last 3 or 4 years.
One was arson, one was an electrical fault, one was whilst charging and one whilst in use.

Whilst Colin may look for a BS on the fire safety of scooters, my immediate question would be how significant is this problem given the few incidents that appear to have happened against the other instances of fires in electrical apparatus? Or is this a case of jumping on the band wagon given a spectacular incident?

[SamFIRT]

Its all very interesting and probably, I agree, one as you say of perception. My current long term project is into “electrical fires” and just how common they actually are... once you drill into the facts. Most of the data is GIGO flawed and perception flawed.

More to come in the future.