Gwangyang City Council Member Ahn Young-heon Urges Measures to Prevent Electric Vehicle Fires

Call for Measures to Prevent Electric Vehicle Fires in Underground Parking Lots of Apartment Complexes

On the 15th, Ahn Young-heon, a member of the Gwangyang City Council in Jeollanam-do, urged the establishment of safety measures to prevent electric vehicle fires in underground parking lots of apartment complexes during the 1st plenary session of the 323rd regular meeting of the Gwangyang City Council through a 5-minute free speech.

Councilor Ahn expressed regret over the recent fire accident that occurred in the underground parking lot of a large apartment complex located in Gwangyang-eup, stating that since fires in electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging facilities pose a high risk of large-scale casualties, it is urgent to supplement the system and prepare countermeasures for the safety of citizens.

[Photo by Gwangyang City Council]

Accordingly, Councilor Ahn first proposed to “recommend installing electric vehicle charging stations above ground,” arguing that “this should be applied when granting permits for new apartment complex constructions.”

However, since a significant number of electric vehicle charging facilities are already installed underground and may be preferred underground for reasons such as user convenience and aesthetics, he suggested “designing the entrance height of newly constructed underground parking lots higher than the current standards and mandating fire-resistant structures” to aid fire suppression.

Furthermore, to minimize casualties even if a fire occurs, he mentioned that “it is necessary to revise related ordinances and provide budget support to equip smoke masks and support automatic emergency door openers on rooftops.”

Councilor Ahn also stated, “There needs to be a change in citizens’ awareness of the importance of safety, and safety education such as how to use fire extinguishers and cardiopulmonary resuscitation for many citizens is necessary to eliminate citizens’ safety apathy and prepare for disasters.”

Finally, Councilor Ahn emphasized, “This is a time when thorough prevention, strict manualization, and strong legal institutionalization of safety are required above all,” and urged “active interest and countermeasure preparation by public officials so that active support in the field of safety can be realized.”