Electric Vehicle Fire Response Guide

FOR EMERGENCIES INVOLVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRES

FOR EMERGENCIES INVOLVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRES

• What kind of car is on fire?
• Standard ICE- combustion engine and lead acid battery
• HEV- hybrid electric- combustion engine and lithium-ion batteries
• EV- Electric vehicle- lithium-ion batteries or hydrogen fuel cell

FIRE CONSIDERATIONS:

• AS WITH ALL VEHICLE FIRES TURN OUT GEAR AND SCBA IS REQUIRED FOR FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS
• Protect exposures
• Determine if thermal runaway is occurring with the batteries due to the fire. If so letting the car burn may be an option
• If you must fight the fire:
  • Establish a sustained water supply
  • Cool battery enclosure
  • Use hand line or unmanned monitors- 125gpm or more
  • Extended cooling may be necessary
  • Fire blanket may be used to contain event- cover the car completely and leave one corner open to allow accumulated gas to escape
  • Firefighters should go through a gross decontamination prior to leaving the scene

MONITOR WITH A TIC

• If temperature is stable (45mins.) or trending down fire is under control
• Thermal runaway may still occur for a significant time after initial event
• Even after a fire EV batteries may have high voltage present

TRANSPORT

• Tow operator should load damaged vehicle being careful not to cause tire rotation (Flatbed tow truck)
• Covering the vehicle during transport with a fire blanket is an option. (Allow gas to vent)
• Escort tow truck with class A engine in case of fire during transport
• Store damaged vehicle away from buildings and other combustible materials or in an approved enclosure

For IMMEDIATE assistance, contact OFPC at 518-292-2200

Please report any EV events to [email protected]