Is Your Airport Protected Against The Environmental Risks Of Fire?

Fires can expose airport operators to environmental clean-up costs not covered by general insurance that can run into millions, as highlighted by a recent car park fire at a UK airport.

Water used to fight large fires can become contaminated with pollutants and find its way into underlying soils, surrounding rivers and groundwater.

In this case, the fire caused severe damage to an airport car park where 1,500 vehicles were parked. Firewater from the blaze mixed with chemicals, including fuel, oils, and toxic heavy metals used in electric vehicle batteries, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese.

Despite efforts to pump the firewater into tanks, much of it made its way into the local drainage system, seeping through large, unlined soakaways into a local aquifer, normally used for drinking water. The situation was exacerbated by heavy rain over the following days.