Battery Pack Damage Causes Temperatures to Soar Up to 800°C
Frequent Fire Accidents... Concerns Over Human Casualties
A fire broke out in a Tesla vehicle abandoned at a scrapyard in California, USA. Photo by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Department
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A fire, presumed to be caused by spontaneous combustion, broke out in a Tesla vehicle that had been abandoned at a scrapyard following a collision accident, prompting the fire department to respond.
According to recent major foreign news reports, a fire occurred in a Tesla vehicle that had been stored for three weeks at a scrapyard in Rancho Cordova, California, USA.
When Sacramento Metropolitan firefighters arrived at the scrapyard, the Tesla was ablaze, and every time they tried to extinguish the fire with water, the battery reignited.
Ultimately, the firefighters dug a pit in the ground, filled it with water, and submerged the entire Tesla battery to put out the fire. About 4,500 gallons (approximately 17,000 liters) of water were used to extinguish the fire, which is roughly the amount used to put out a burning building.
The fire department stated that the vehicle had been abandoned at the scrapyard for about three weeks after a traffic accident. Fire department spokesperson Parker Walburn said, "It is presumed to have spontaneously combusted while abandoned at the scrapyard."
Tesla batteries use lithium-ion technology, which carries a higher risk of combustion. Lithium-ion batteries charge quickly but experience a rapid temperature rise if they catch fire.
According to Tesla's emergency response guidelines, if a fire occurs in the battery of the Model S sedan, it takes 24 hours to extinguish the fire by directly applying water to the battery. During this time, between 11,000 and 30,000 liters of water are required.
Tesla Model S fire that occurred in June last year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. / Photo by AFP Yonhap News
Electric vehicle fires differ from fires in conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. When an electric vehicle catches fire, it releases a large amount of organic chemical substances containing toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, making it more dangerous than typical fires.
One major concern with electric vehicle fires is battery 'thermal runaway.' If the battery pack is damaged, the internal temperature can rapidly rise to 800 degrees Celsius, causing the fire to spread. In such cases, fire suppression is difficult, increasing the risk of casualties.
On the night of the 4th, at 11 p.m., a Hyundai Ioniq 5 collided head-on with a road divider and impact absorber just before the tollgate on the Namhae Expressway in Gangseo-gu, Busan, causing a fire. The flames were finally controlled after about seven hours, after 6 a.m. the next day.
At that time, the fire department erected temporary walls around the vehicle to create a makeshift water tank and poured water to submerge the battery, extinguishing the flames. However, the fire engulfed the car within three seconds of the collision, resulting in the deaths of the driver and passenger.
In December 2020, two Teslas parked in a garage in San Ramon, California, also caught fire, resulting in the complete destruction of the house.
Additionally, BYD, China's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, experienced three fire incidents this month. On the 12th, a BYD electric vehicle 'Song' in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, emitted smoke from the vehicle frame. Police attempted to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers, but the fire spread throughout the vehicle, which exploded and was engulfed in flames.
On the same day, a BYD 'Qin' vehicle in Foshan, Guangdong Province, is suspected to have caught fire. On the 6th, a BYD electric vehicle caught fire in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, causing traffic congestion as fire trucks worked to extinguish the blaze.
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