Bristol Voi e-scooter warehouse had no fire alarms before blaze

More than 200 Voi scooters were recovered from the fire

A warehouse where 200 e-scooters were damaged in a fire on New Year's Day was not fitted with fire alarms or smoke detectors, a report has found.

Despite around 300 highly-flammable lithium-ion batteries being stored at the building in Bristol, it contained just one fire extinguisher.

A report ruled the blaze was accidental and caused by batteries overcharging or tangled extension cords overheating.

E-scooter company, Voi, said safety is its "first priority".

Spokesman Matthew Pencharz said the firm was "fully compliant with all UK Health and Safety regulations in its warehouses".

He said the fire happened at a "third-party warehouse" in Brislington, and the official report by Avon Fire and Rescue Service stated that this incident was "accidental due to an electrical fault".

Firefighters from Avon Fire and Rescue Service spent more than four hours dealing with the blaze and its aftermath.

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The fire report - released to the BBC under a Freedom of Information request - said that the warehouse had no rear door and its sole entrance was a metal shutter which firefighters had to cut through.

'Smoke damaged'

The report added that the "whole unit was heavily smoke damaged" and fire crews had to remove all 203 e-scooters for "safety reasons".

The fire inspector's notes said that all of the battery charging banks were involved in the fire.

They were all removed and placed in water, it said.

A wall at the back of the room suffered a "significant burn" near to where the battery chargers were being stored.

The fire investigator wrote: "There were no smoke or heat detectors inside the building and no fire suppression system.

"I found only one medium sized extinguisher in the whole building."

'Doesn't happen again'

Under UK fire alarm regulations all commercial and business premises must have an appropriate fire detection system.

The regulations also state that the responsible person in a business "must take such general fire precautions as will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of any of his employees".

Mr Pencharz added: "We have worked closely with Avon Fire and Rescue Service to thoroughly investigate and implement all necessary measures to ensure this situation doesn't happen again, including thoroughly auditing the processes and practices in all places where work is undertaken on behalf of Voi."

Steve Quinton, from the fire service, said: "We continue to work together with Voi and welcome the steps forward they are taking to adjust their current policies and procedures."