Fire & Rescue Dept. EVCB Guidelines There To Mitigate EV Fire Risk

The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) recently announced during a Building Fire Safety Course that the installation of new Electric Vehicle Charging Bays (EVCB) in Malaysia must adhere to the guidelines set by JBPM to ensure optimal fire safety.

This announcement was made by Kuala Lumpur JBPM acting Director Rozihan Anwar Mamat, who emphasised the importance of these guidelines in enhancing safety and mitigating the risk of fires involving electric vehicles (EVs).

He added that any new EVCB installation must first go through Kuala Lumpur City Hall, after which JBPM would provide guidance and recommendations based on the suitability of the EVCB installation, whether at commercial and office premises or private residences.

For existing EVCBs, the department will either conduct enforcement operations or educate the owners about fire safety at the charging bays. Rozihan highlighted that fires involving EVs typically originate from the lithium batteries used in these vehicles.

He also noted that, to date, there are no extinguisher materials or agents capable of extinguishing fires caused by these EV batteries. Furthermore, EV batteries are also subjected to “thermal runaways,” where, even though a fire appears to be extinguished, it can reignite hours or days later.

By ensuring that EV charging stations adhere to the guidelines set by JBPM, the agency aims to enhance fire safety and reduce the risks associated with fires at EV charging bays.

At CariCarz.com, we understand the fire risk JBPM is trying to mitigate by setting these rules for CPOs to adhere to. While EV fires are somewhat rare, they are serious when they occur. However, we question JBPM's readiness to tackle EV fires.

Based on our understanding from the recent “mock” EV fire firefighting demonstration at the Malaysia Auto Show 2024, JBPM is not yet fully equipped to handle EV fires. It is crucial to ensure that every strategically located fire station has a sufficient supply of EV fire blankets.

As an EV community advocate, MyZEVA has urged all EV importers, manufacturers, and charge point operators (CPOs) to support this initiative by donating EV fire blankets to nearby fire stations.

Meanwhile, across the causeway, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) recently conducted an EV fire test to evaluate its firefighting protocols for EV fires and measure the effectiveness of its firefighting instruments.

In said exercise, the SCDF not only showed off their EV fire blankets, but also the Pumper Firefighting Machines and Oscillating Ground Monitors that aid firefighters in safely controlling EV fires.

Hence, we believe it is about time the government stepped in and increased the budget allocated to JBPM so that their readiness level would be on par with our neighbours.