Although a functional fire protection system would have helped to extinguish the fire, a properly installed hydrogen detection system, coupled with a properly designed ventilation system, could have prevented the incident altogether.Hydrogen rises twice as fast as helium, at a speed of 45 mph. Therefore, unless a roof or some other structure contains the rising gas, the laws of physics prevent hydrogen from lingering near its point of production. It is unclear weather the room's ventilation system wasn't functioning properly, or if it wasn't designed properly; but in either case, battery charging facilities need to consult experienced engineering firms on proper location and design of hydrogen detection and exhaust systems. On-site Standard Operating Procedures also need to mandate periodic functional/operational tests.Adequate ventilation of battery charging facilities is addressed in the Lessons Learned Corner on this website.