What should you do if your electric car battery catches fire?

A fire in the battery pack of a hybrid or electric car can have several causes. For example, the battery may be outdated or have a mechanical defect, or a fire may occur in the area around the battery, for example because there has been a collision. If a car is left at a charging station for a long time, there is also an increased risk of fire. The fact that a car is connected to a charging station for a long time does not necessarily mean that there is a high risk of smoke development or fire in the battery.

A hybrid car arrived at the Compagnie in Zwaag last Tuesday flame in the battery pack. Parked at a charging station, but it is not confirmed whether the car was actually charged. The fire brigade came to the industrial estate with several spray trucks. A salvage company brought a large container to dispose of the car, after which it was immersed in water for a week. An electric car also had to deal with one on the Westfrisiaweg smoldering battery.

How often does it happen?

A fire in an electric vehicle is no more common than in cars with a petrol or diesel engine. After research by the German expertise center DEKRA, the ANWB reports that electric cars are at least as safe as so-called conventional cars. “However, they are relatively new and are therefore more often under a magnifying glass. Their impact is only greater because the battery stays on for longer,” it is noted. their website to read.

But what exactly happens if there is a fire in a hybrid or fully electric car? We put this question to a spokesperson for the North Holland North Safety Region and the National Institute of Public Safety (NIPV). The Safety Region is contacted for every report of a (suspected) car fire. “This also applies to ignition or problems with a battery pack.”

Do not attempt to extinguish fire yourself

According to Tom Hessels, Energy and Transport Safety advisor at NIPV, there are two ways in which a battery pack can become involved in a fire. “The first is if a fire breaks out somewhere else in the vehicle and the heat from this fire involves the battery,” he explains. “A fire can also occur in the battery itself. This could, for example, be the result of a collision, or a defective or outdated battery.”

In either case, you may see smoke or even fire coming from under the hood. If you are on the road, the car will give a fault message and come to a stop. “Then try to get the vehicle to the side of the road in a safe manner.”

According to the NIPV advisor, the chance of a battery catching fire while charging is slightly greater. “The activity in the battery makes even more causes of fire possible.”

If there is smoke or fire near the hood, you should not attempt to extinguish the fire yourself. Both the Safety Region and the NIPV advise against this. “Smoke, or any kind of fire, is always dangerous. That is why we advise you to call the fire brigade and stay away from the smoke,” said Hessels. “In addition, the battery pack is well encapsulated and resistant to water. So the battery does not get wet when you drive through a puddle. Fire extinguishing water should therefore not be added to the fire.”

More than a week in an immersion tank

If there is smoke or fire, the battery pack must first be disconnected from the power supply. In these cases, a chemical reaction occurs from the battery, releasing gas bubbles. If the battery is not cooled for a long time, it will continue to heat up. That is why the car is placed in an immersion tank with water and left there for eight to ten days.

Such an immersion tank – which resembles a large container – is owned by a salvage company. They pick up a vehicle and drop it off on their property. This is then filled with water from the environment or from an underground fire hydrant.

When the battery has completely cooled down after about ten days and there are no more chemical reactions, the water is assessed. “Depending on the pollution, it is determined whether the water must be drained,” said a spokesperson for the Safety Region. “The handling of the car itself is arranged by the salvage company. This includes checking whether parts have been retained and can be sold. The rest goes to demolition.”