EV Fire At Underground Car Park Fire In Korea - 70 Cars Damaged, 21 Injured

A fire recently broke out in the underground parking garage of an apartment complex in Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu, Incheon. The blaze, which began around 6:15 AM, originated from a parked Mercedes-Benz EQE electric vehicle (EV).

A total of 177 firefighters and 80 fire engines battled the fire throughout the morning and early afternoon. CCTV footage shows white smoke billowing from the EQE, followed by a sudden bright flash and large flames engulfing the vehicle. The fire was finally extinguished around 2:35 PM, approximately 8 hours and 20 minutes after it began. About 70 cars were reportedly damaged too.

The incident affected 20 residents, including young children who suffered from smoke inhalation. Additionally, one firefighter showed signs of exhaustion during the efforts and was treated at a hospital. Fortunately, none of the affected individuals were in critical condition.

Preliminary findings from the Incheon Fire Department suggest that the fire originated from the Mercedes EQE. Mercedes-Benz Korea has responded to the incident by promising a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.

Electric vehicle fires are often attributed to thermal runaway, which results in prolonged fires that are nearly impossible to extinguish. This incident has raised concerns about the safety of electric vehicles and the reliability of the batteries used in them. The EQE fire is particularly alarming as it occurred while the vehicle was parked, not while charging, which is a more common scenario for such incidents.

In Malaysia, a similar incident occurred where a Mercedes-Benz EQB caught fire while charging at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Skudai, Johor. However, neither Mercedes-Benz nor the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (Bomba) has provided any details of their investigation, even seven months after the incident. The only announcement came from the Energy Commission (ST), which stated that the charging facility was unlicensed.

Based on non-expert observations, it is believed that the Malaysian incident was not an EV battery fire, as Bomba extinguished the fire in only 25 minutes using basic firefighting equipment, without any EV fire blankets present.

However, EV fires are not a reason to avoid EVs, as more internal combustion engine (ICE) car fires are reported daily. What is being called for is accountability and transparency from all parties involved, especially to the general population and customers. Such transparency could lead to a shift in consumer trust and preferences toward brands.

Additionally, these incidents highlight the challenges faced by firefighters in dealing with EV fires, especially in urban areas where underground car parks are common in residential and office buildings. Therefore, governments need to allocate budgets to equip their firefighting forces appropriately, rather than focusing solely on increasing EV adoption, which seems to be the current trend.

Source: YONHUP News