FOI Request 2010

Subject: Electric Vehicle Fires

Status: Complete

Date requested: May 2024

Question Asked:

Can you provide some information on what to do and not to do in the event of a EV fire.  I know the main point is Call 999 and stay as far away from the vehicle as possible and warn others, but I would be grateful if you could provide some extra dialog/information that I can use may some still fire shots of data behind how long a EV vehicle will burn for, how reported fires in the last 12 months.

Our Response:

It is important to remember an electric vehicle can be on fire without the batteries being involved, if this is the case the fire is just a car fire and can be extinguished with 1800l of water in a matter of minutes.  If the Lithium Ion Batteries are involved and go into thermal run away a number of flammable gasses are released which can create an explosive atmosphere prior to combustion occurring.

Significant Hazards:

• Do not approach directly from the vehicles front or rear, this is due to possible unexpected propulsion from the electric motors

• Toxic and flammable gases will be present in enclosed spaces. Risk of gas / vapour cloud explosion

• It may take more than 10,000 litres of water, applied directly to the battery pack, to fully extinguish and cool it down

• Battery pack fires can take from 1 hours to as long as 24 hours to extinguish

EVs have been known to reignite weeks after the initial incident.

CFRS had 7 incidents involving EVs since May 2023, these were all from Electric bicycles.

Outcome: Information Provided

FOI responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO