Changwon Special City Takes Proactive Measures Against Electric Vehicle Fires in Apartment Complexes

Fire Prevention Guidelines for New Apartment Underground Parking Lots
Implementation and Distribution of Fire Response Procedures

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam is implementing preventive measures for electric vehicle fires in apartment complexes, which have recently become a social issue due to incidents such as the electric vehicle fire in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Seo-gu, Incheon. These measures are intended to proactively respond to the risk of electric vehicle fires in multi-family housing.

Electric Vehicle Fire Prevention Response Joint Meeting Held.

As a key initiative, the city will encourage the installation of electric vehicle-only parking spaces above ground during the architectural review stage for new apartment complexes. If it is unavoidable to install them underground, the city plans to require compliance with the 'Fire Prevention Guidelines for Underground Parking Lots in Apartment Complexes.'

The main points of the guidelines include: ▲ Installation of DA (Dry Area) for natural smoke ventilation ▲ Installation of fire compartments for each parking unit (up to three vehicles) ▲ Installation of sprinklers capable of operating for more than 30 minutes and securing additional water supply ▲ Installation of smothering fire extinguishing foam to prevent fire spread ▲ Installation of water barriers in electric vehicle-only parking spaces, among others.

For existing apartment complexes, the city will distribute a fire prevention and response manual, which includes the formation of emergency response teams by management, maintenance of emergency contact networks, and regular inspections of electric vehicle charging and firefighting facilities. The manual also provides action guidelines for residents and management at each stage: fire outbreak, evacuation, and fire suppression, enabling proactive response in the event of an actual fire.

Additionally, the city is considering giving priority support from next year's Changwon apartment management support project budget to complexes that relocate electric vehicle-only parking spaces above ground.

Deputy Mayor Cho Myungrae stated, "We will make every effort at the city level to alleviate citizens' concerns about electric vehicle fires and to establish effective measures," adding, "When the central government announces its comprehensive electric vehicle fire prevention measures in the future, we will supplement our initiatives in each sector accordingly."