Warehouse fires account for millions of pounds of damages across the UK each and every year. What’s worst is that some of these fires are responsible for employee injury and, in some cases, death. Fire prevention is absolutely critical for any company that operates out of a warehouse or distribution centre, but what causes most these fires?

Whilst not all warehouse fires start the same way, there are five leading causes of warehouse fires that companies should be aware of:

1. The most common, and most destructive fire cause in warehouses are, unfortunately, set intentionally. From insurance scams to simple crimes, arson attempts are responsible for the majority of all warehouse fires that occur.
2. Alongside intentional fire damage, problems with electrical distribution or lighting equipment also accounts for a similar amount of warehouse fires. These fires, brought about by electrical faults, do tend to cause less damage than intentional fires, but they still make up 17% of the total property damage recorded.
3. Faulty heating equipment is another big cause for warehouse fires. When systems like these fail, they can quickly spread fire through an entire warehouse project. Depending on the contents of the warehouse, a simple fire can lead to a huge, uncontrollable blaze in a matter of minutes.
4. The fourth most common cause of warehouse fires are related to exposure. Exposure refers to any combustible materials that are not yet on fire but could easily ignite if the fire spreads. Warehouses that leave large quantities of dry, flammable materials such as wood or reams of paper have a much higher likelihood of a destructive fire.
5. Smoking materials, such as cigarettes, cigars and their accompanying lighters don’t cause as many fires as they did before workplace smoking bans were brought into effect, but they are still responsible for a handful of incidents over the years.

Make sure your warehouse has fire preventative methods in place including fire curtains and shutters. Manchester based Sheridan Doors can help you install and maintain all warehouse doors and shutters.