Museumplein - Amsterdam

In the early hours of 26 December 2000, a Porsche convertible car caught fire in the Museumplein underground car park in Amsterdam. Within a few minutes the fire had destroyed the convertible roof and the car was ablaze. At approximately 01.00 the fire was detected and within minutes the fire brigade had been alerted. The PSB Impulse Ventilation System within the car park activated to funnel the smoke and by the time the fire brigade arrived the smoke was under control.

The PSB system prevented the smoke from spreading and removed it via the exhaust for discharge through the extract shaft. The PSB fire detection panel indicated clearly the location of the fire, helping the fire fighters to immediately locate the blaze. The system also gave the fire fighters the advantage of good visibility having contained the smoke on one side of the vehicle. The Museumplein car park is also designed to allow easy access throughout the car park for the fire brigade as well as easy evacuation of the general public. Within 10 minutes of arriving, the fire service had extinguished the fire. No other vehicles in the car park were damaged.

Minimal damage was caused to the surrounding building. At 1.45 a.m., the fire brigade gave permission for the car park to be re-opened, less than an hour after the car had caught fire. The official fire service report stated that there was no structural damage to the car park. The floor of the car park was only slightly damaged and not in need of urgent repair. The said car-parking bay was in use only a few days after the fire had occurred.