[Exclusive] It Takes 20 Minutes to Extinguish Fires in Regular Vehicles... But 'Electric Vehicle Fires' Took 1 Hour

Analysis of 8 Electric Vehicle Fires in Seoul
Mobilized Firefighting Forces and Equipment Scale
Twice the Level of Fires in Conventional Cars
"Need to Respond to New Types of Accidents"

An analysis of the time taken to fully extinguish electric vehicle fires that occurred in Seoul this year confirmed that it took more than twice as long as fires involving conventional vehicles. In some cases, it took nearly three hours to completely extinguish the fire, and firefighting personnel and equipment were deployed in greater numbers compared to conventional vehicle fires. Experts emphasize that electric vehicle fires should be regarded as a new type of incident and addressed through continuous research and development.

On the 12th, firefighters were extinguishing a fire that broke out in an electric vehicle charging in an underground public parking lot in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. It took about 1 hour and 40 minutes to completely extinguish the fire.
[Photo by Gangseo Fire Station]

According to data obtained by Asia Economy from the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters on the 16th, there were eight electric vehicle fire incidents in Seoul this year. By month, there was one incident each in January, February, and March, three in April, one in July, and one in November. The average time from the start of the electric vehicle fire to complete extinguishment was 60 minutes. Excluding three cases where the fire was successfully extinguished within about 10 minutes without spreading to major components such as the battery, the average time to full extinguishment increased to 90 minutes. Although the number of incidents is smaller than the 272 conventional vehicle fires during the same period, the time taken to extinguish electric vehicle fires is two to three times longer.

For example, an electric vehicle fire that occurred at 1:57 PM on April 1 on Olympic-daero in Gangdong-gu was only fully extinguished at 3:12 PM, 1 hour and 15 minutes later. A fire in an electric vehicle charging in an underground public parking lot in Gangseo-gu on the 12th at 6:38 PM was completely put out at 8:14 PM, 1 hour and 36 minutes later. The longest time to full extinguishment was an electric vehicle fire at a vehicle service center in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, on January 7 at 5:02 PM, which was fully extinguished at 7:51 PM, 2 hours and 49 minutes later.

On the other hand, conventional vehicle fires are mostly extinguished within 30 minutes even if the engine catches fire. A conventional passenger car fire that occurred on July 28 in Gwangjin-gu took 24 minutes to extinguish despite the fire starting in the engine room. A fire in a passenger car traveling on Seobu-gangseon-ro in Yeongdeungpo-gu on the 4th was extinguished in 26 minutes. A fire in the hood of a vehicle waiting at a traffic signal in Gwangjin-gu on September 29 took only 12 minutes to extinguish.

The scale of personnel and equipment deployed during fires is also larger for electric vehicles. On average, 70 firefighters and 20 pieces of equipment were deployed for the eight electric vehicle fires in Seoul this year. During the electric vehicle fire in the underground public parking lot in Gangseo-gu, 105 firefighters and 28 pieces of equipment were deployed. In comparison, the fire department explained that conventional vehicle fires typically involve 30 to 40 firefighters and about 10 pieces of equipment. A fire department official said, "Unlike conventional vehicle fires, electric vehicle fires require additional equipment such as a 'portable fire suppression tank' (equipment that installs a water barrier and fills water up to the battery height) and an 'electric vehicle fire blanket' (a heat-resistant blanket that covers the vehicle)," adding, "This requires more personnel to be deployed."

On April 1st, firefighters are extinguishing a fire that broke out in an electric vehicle driving on Olympic-daero in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. The fire was fully extinguished 1 hour and 15 minutes after it started.
[Photo by Gangdong Fire Station]

The difficulty in extinguishing electric vehicle fires lies in the characteristics of electric vehicles. Key components such as energy storage systems (ESS) in electric vehicles can reach temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius instantly when on fire. There is also a high risk of re-ignition. The thermal runaway reaction of the ESS continues to generate heat until it stops, causing re-ignition or sustained fire inside the battery. Since the battery is located under the vehicle, water does not easily penetrate, which can further prolong firefighting efforts. A fire department official explained, "Typically, to extinguish electric vehicle fires, a fire blanket is placed to prevent heat spread, and a water monitor is inserted under the vehicle to cool the battery," adding, "Then, a portable fire suppression tank is installed to wait until the battery’s heat completely dissipates."

Fire is also the biggest concern for electric vehicle drivers. According to a survey conducted and released on the 14th by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority targeting 225 electric vehicle drivers, electric vehicle drivers most frequently cited 'fire after collision' (29.3%) and 'fire during charging' (21.1%) as their main concerns (multiple responses allowed).

Experts say that battery safety must be improved through research and development, and new firefighting methods should be introduced. Professor Lee Ho-geun of the Automotive Department at Daeduk College said, "Electric vehicles use batteries, and during fires, thermal runaway reactions occur. The fire continues until the energy is completely depleted," adding, "Currently, the only method is to cool the battery and wait until all the energy is consumed." He continued, "This is a problem that must be solved through enhancing the battery management system (BMS) to improve battery safety and researching electric vehicle fire extinguishing methods. Since firefighting agents that cool heat much faster than ordinary water have been developed, the certification process by the National Fire Agency should be expedited so they can be used in electric vehicle fire suppression."

Professor Lee Young-joo of the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at Kyungil University said, "Recently, a method was developed domestically to drill holes in the battery and pour water directly inside to extinguish electric vehicle fires. More effective firefighting methods should be developed through firefighting technology development."