Comprehensive Survey and Safety Inspection of Electric Vehicle Charging Facilities
4 Billion Invested in Fire Detection System Establishment
Jin Gyo-hoon, Mayor of Gangseo District (right), visited Gangseo Hillstate Apartment at Ujangsan Station on the 12th to inspect the maintenance status of electric vehicle charging facilities. Provided by Gangseo District.
Gangseo-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon) announced on the 23rd that it will establish and fully implement a comprehensive plan to prevent electric vehicle (EV) fires, including safety inspections through a full survey of EV charging facilities. This plan was prepared to strengthen resident safety amid the recent increase in fire risks due to the expanded distribution of electric vehicles.
The first step in preventing EV fires is to conduct a full survey of charging facilities. A thorough inspection will be carried out on 575 public and private facilities, focusing on the safety of charging and firefighting equipment as well as fire prevention systems. After the inspection, vulnerable facilities will receive consulting from an inspection team composed of the fire department, electrical contractors, and EV charging facility manufacturers.
The district plans to invest 400 million KRW to expand and support EV fire prevention facilities. A management manual for EVs will be prepared for publicly managed facilities, and firefighting equipment such as fire detection systems and suffocation fire blankets will be reinforced. Additionally, firefighting equipment for EV fire suppression will be provided to the fire department. In the private sector, the district will recommend installing EV charging facilities above ground when granting building permits. If above-ground installation is difficult, the installation of firewalls to prevent fire spread will be made a condition for approval.
An ordinance to support EV fire prevention and safety facilities will also be enacted. The EV support content, which was previously specified in only one article of the existing “Seoul Special City Gangseo-gu Environmentally Friendly Vehicle Use Promotion Support Ordinance,” will be established as a separate ordinance to provide a basis for supporting fire prevention facilities and to strengthen fire response capabilities.
The district will also strengthen education and publicity for EV fire prevention. Starting with education for apartment complex management personnel on the 26th, safety education for residents will gradually expand. The education for apartment complex personnel will target 365 representatives of apartment buildings, security managers, and facility managers. With advisory members from the Korea Electric Vehicle Association as instructors, two sessions of four hours each will be conducted, covering topics such as EV charging facility fire response and firefighting and safety response procedures.
In addition, fire prevention guides and promotional materials will be distributed to apartment complexes and densely populated facilities, and disaster response drills will be conducted in October to enhance fire response capabilities. Furthermore, the district plans to alleviate residents’ anxiety about EV fires through systematic and responsible implementation by forming a TF for EV fire prevention promotion and strengthening cooperation with related organizations.
The number of registered EVs in Gangseo-gu surged by 837%, from 432 in 2019 to 4,116 as of August 2024. During the same period, the number of charging stations also increased by 2,706%, from 128 to 3,592.
Mayor Jin Gyo-hoon emphasized, “As the distribution of electric vehicles increases, fire prevention has become even more important. Through this plan, we will prioritize the safety of residents and make every effort to prevent EV fires.”
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