Buses & Coaches

Fire risks

Statistics confirm that many buses catch fire, and most bus fires start in the engine compartment. Engine parts, hydraulics, fuel, and electrical installations, in combination with a hot environment in the engine compartment, pose the most significant fire risks in buses. These fires often evolve very quickly and leave a short time to evacuate the passengers from the bus. If the fire is not suppressed in time, it might cause fatalities and significant financial losses. 

A tested and certified vehicle fire suppression system, in combination with a reliable fire detection system, is the best first line of defence in case of an emergency such as a thermal incident. 

Buses with alternative fuels

Today more and more buses with alternative fuels are operating our streets. These buses does not pose higher, but different fire risks compared to the standard combustion engines. It is an ongoing learning process for the operators, drivers, fire brigades etc. in terms of having new components to handle and new skills to be gained in order to deal with alternative fuel vehicles in the safest way possible.

In this video, recorded by Sustainable Bus, Risk Management Specialist Tommy Carnebo speaks about the challenges and opportunities with these alternative fuels buses.

Dafo Vehicle Fire Suppression System

Over the years, Dafo Vehicle has obtained vast experience and knowledge from our end-user installations, which have been used as a basis for eliminating false alarms and false releases. As a result of the development, Dafo Vehicle can today proudly present three different state-of-the-art reliable solutions for buses and coaches both without vulnerable and pressurized agent tanks. 

Limited maintenance and superior system reliability of a Dafo Vehicle system contribute to a high vehicle uptime and a low total cost of ownership (TCO) which is essential for the profitability of bus companies. 

Our experienced engineers understand the life cycle of a bus. Starting with the factory integration, where we design the system to support the bus OEM installation process, and at the same time, we ensure that service availability for the end-user is supported.

Dafo Vehicle’s fire suppression systems are approved as a component with regard to UNECE Regulation No. 107 and P-marked in accordance with SPCR 183. Our systems are also certified to fulfill local regulations where applicable.    

How the system works

The Dafo Vehicle fire suppression system consists of four integrated elements; Detection, Alarm, Suppression and Control, which work together in a coordinated, fast and efficient way to suppress fires. The detection system consists of a linear heat detector wire. It has a fixed temperature sensor with an alarm signal triggered when the activation temperature of 180°C is reached. This signal punctures the burst disc of the propellant gas cartridge, which releases nitrogen into the agent container.

The Forrex liquid is distributed to the nozzles through the pipe system. At the same time, the alarm system is activated, and an alarm horn in the vehicle and a light signal in the panel will warn the driver. The liquid agent will push away the oxygen, cool down the overheated engine parts, impregnate the burning material, stick to surfaces and effectively prevent re-ignition. The Forrex is non-corrosive and environmentally friendly. 

The control unit has a Real-time Clock and Event Log that allows access to historical data, making it possible to analyze previous events.