EV Battery Fire Destroys Five Cars In Australian Parking Lot

The MG ZS EV, along with four vehicles, that were destroyed by a fire caused by a removed and suspected damaged EV battery. (Image: FRNSW)

News reports have surfaced from Australia depicting a fire caused by an EV battery that destroyed five cars. The incident, which took place in a parking lot near Sydney airport, thankfully saw no injuries or deaths reported, but the extent of the fire shown by investigating authorities appears severe.

According to a statement issued by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW), the fire was caused by a lithium-ion EV battery pack, suspected to be damaged, that was recently removed from an MG ZS EV. Said vehicle with its removed EV battery pack was parked in a holding yard belonging to an unnamed private company.

It's unclear why the suspected damaged battery from the MG ZS EV was removed and placed in the position pictured - underneath the front of the car. (Images: FRNSW).

The fire reportedly broke out on Monday (11 Sept) evening circa 8:30PM, quickly spreading and claimed four other vehicles  – an MG HS, a Toyota Corolla, a Renault Koleos, and a Volkswagen Passat – that were parked in the same vicinity.

In Australia, the MG ZS EV pictured above is offered with two battery capacity options - 51.1 kWh and 72.6 kWh.

In Australia, the MG ZS EV model has two battery capacity options available – 51.1 kWh and 72.6 kWh. As for the unit that caught fire, it’s unclear which capacity battery was equipped. FRNSW believes that the car suffered mechanical damage that can cause the battery to break down and catch fire without notice.

Based on the video and images released by FRNSW, we’re likely to believe that improper handling or storage of the removed EV battery could be a likely cause. Adding to which is the fact that you can see the removed EV battery pack from the MG ZS EV being placed underneath the front of the car.

Unlike regular car fires, EV battery fire burns far hotter due to the materials inside the lithium-ion battery itself. This also poses bigger risk and challenges for firefighters to contain, hence the need for specialised gear like the custom-built Toyota Hilux fire truck we featured earlier.

It’s also worth reminding that EV battery removal, regardless if it is damaged or not, requires careful handling procedures and techniques. Much of this stems from the battery pack’s enormous size and heavy bulk – some packs weigh no less than half a ton (500 KG), in fact.