Gwangjin-gu, Nationwide First Fully Automated Electric Vehicle Fire Response System Established

Installation of 2 Units at Junggok-dong Baenamuteo Park Public Parking Lot on the 5th, Full Operation Begins
Fire Occurrence, Heat and Smoke Detection, Automatic Movement of Fire Extinguishing Foam, Descent, and Suppression Sequence
Unmanned System Monitors 24 Hours, Early Fire Response Expected to Prevent Damage

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) has rolled up its sleeves to prevent electric vehicle fires.

On the 5th, an automatic electric vehicle fire response system was installed at the Baenamuteo Park public parking lot in Junggok-dong.

According to the district, as of August 2024, 1,560 electric vehicles are registered in Gwangjin-gu, and the number of electric vehicle charging stations is steadily increasing, reaching 1,163 units.

In recent months, electric vehicle fires nationwide have become a serious social issue. Currently, fire prevention management guidelines for electric vehicle parking lots and charging facilities are not perfect, and there are no fire extinguishers dedicated to electric vehicles. The commonly used method is manual smothering with fire blankets and cooling extinguishing using large amounts of water.

Electric vehicle fires can easily lead to major accidents. The high temperatures and harmful gases generated during a fire, the enclosed structure of underground parking lots, and low ceiling heights make it difficult for firefighting equipment to enter, causing large-scale property and human damage. It is time to put all efforts into preventing electric vehicle fire accidents.

Accordingly, the district installed two automatic smothering extinguishing caps in a public parking lot for the first time nationwide. The recently opened Baenamuteo Park public parking lot has five electric vehicle parking spaces. The automatic system installs smothering blankets on the ceiling of the electric vehicle parking spaces.

When a fire occurs, the system operates in the following sequence: ▲heat and smoke detection ▲warning lights and alarms ▲automatic movement of the smothering blanket to the fire vehicle location ▲lowering of the smothering blanket ▲connection of the fire hydrant hose and extinguishing. The fully automatic unmanned system enables 24-hour fire monitoring and can extinguish fires at an early stage.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “We have pilot-introduced an electric vehicle fire response system in public parking lots to protect the property and lives of residents,” adding, “We will continue to build safety equipment and infrastructure so that residents can use electric vehicles safely and conveniently.”

Meanwhile, the district is making efforts for residents' safety by installing lithium battery-specific fire extinguishers, conducting safety inspections of electric vehicle charging facilities, and providing guidelines for electric vehicle fire response.