Fire at a campsite in El Vendrell reopens the debate on fire safety and the application of the CTE DB-SI

The fire declared on the morning of last Monday, August 11, at the Vendrell Platja campsite, which forced the evacuation of between 1,700 and 1,800 people, has once again put on the table the importance of complying with the fire protection measures included in the Technical Building Code (CTE), Basic Safety Document in the event of Fire (DB-SI).

The fire, which began at around 3.17am in two different locations, destroyed 17 plots and caused damage to caravans, motorhomes, tents and a vehicle. The rapid action of the Catalan Fire Brigade , which controlled the fire before 3.48am , and the orderly evacuation were key to avoiding a major tragedy.

1) Relationship with the CTE-DB-SI regulations

Although the CTE DB-SI applies mainly to buildings and not always to campsites in their entirety, several of its principles can be extrapolated or required in certain fixed installations on the premises:

SI 1 and SI 2 – Indoor and outdoor spread: the distribution of caravans and combustible materials is a critical factor. The proximity between mobile units favored the spread, which reopens the debate on minimum distances and fire barriers in campsites.

SI 3 – Evacuation of occupants: requires that evacuation routes are free of obstacles, signposted and sized for the intended occupancy. The massive evacuation of the campsite —almost two thousand people— highlights the need for these routes to be safe and accessible, even in open environments.

SI 4 – Fire protection facilities: the presence of portable extinguishers, equipped fire hydrants (BIE) and detectors is crucial for a first intervention before the arrival of the firefighters.

SI 5 – Firefighter intervention: requires that the access of the extinguishing services be quick and effective, which in this case facilitated the entry of seven fire brigades in less than half an hour from the warning.

2) Technical framework – Application of the CTE DB-SI in campsites

*While the Mossos d'Esquadra continue to investigate the origin of the fire, it is presumed that the cause was an electronic fault.

Source: Catalan Firefighters