Ho Chi Minh City police warn of fire and explosion risks from electric vehicle batteries

Faced with the increasing risk of electric vehicle battery explosions and the growing popularity of electric vehicle use, Ho Chi Minh City Police recommends many fire safety measures for people.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tung, Deputy Head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City Police, answered at the press conference on the afternoon of November 13.

On the afternoon of November 13, at a press conference providing information on socio -economic issues in Ho Chi Minh City, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tung, Deputy Head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City Police, said that in the context of electric vehicles becoming a popular means of transport, the risk of battery explosion due to the specific structure and energy storage technology is of particular concern.

Accordingly, the phenomenon of battery fire often comes from high temperature leading to a chain of chemical reactions that release heat and generate oxygen inside the battery. Common causes can be due to technical errors of the manufacturer, mechanical collision, thermal impact from the environment or errors during use.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tung said that electric vehicle batteries are usually placed in a closed compartment under the vehicle, covered by a sturdy protective shell. When an incident occurs, the fire originates from inside the battery, manifesting itself through strong light and high temperature. The biggest challenge for firefighters is the ability to inject fire-extinguishing agents deep into the battery structure. Therefore, handling electric vehicle battery fires requires specialized techniques and takes longer than normal fires.

In this situation, the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of Ho Chi Minh City Police also issued 5 important recommendations to limit risks. Accordingly, people need to check and maintain electric vehicles regularly, following the manufacturer's instructions. Monitoring the battery status and charging system helps detect early signs of abnormalities, avoiding the risk of fire.

Must use genuine chargers that meet safety standards; absolutely do not use floating batteries or replace them with products of unknown origin. The battery charging area must be well-ventilated, avoid direct sunlight and not be placed near flammable materials. In areas such as basements or warehouses, the battery charging area must be arranged separately, with walls made of non-flammable materials to limit the spread of fire. Do not charge the vehicle continuously for many days or charge it during periods of unsupervised use. Actively controlling the charging process helps minimize the risk of accidents at night.

When a fire occurs, it is necessary to quickly use equipped fire fighting equipment to bring fire extinguishing agents into the fire area, at the same time cool the surrounding area and move materials and goods to prevent the fire from spreading.

Currently, in addition to safety propaganda, the work of perfecting the legal framework is also being urgently directed by the Government. According to the assignment of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministry of Public Security is assigned to preside over the development of a list of specialized equipment for fire fighting and rescue for vehicles and traffic infrastructure using batteries.

Previously, on October 21, the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department also held a professional meeting with local police to exchange experiences in handling incidents related to battery-powered vehicles. The Department is consulting management models and standards of many countries with developed electric vehicle technology, and is coordinating with the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to develop a system of national regulations and standards on fire safety for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

In addition, according to the Government's direction, the issuance of specialized regulations will create an important legal corridor, contributing to protecting people, rescue forces and urban infrastructure from the risk of fire and explosion from battery-powered vehicles - an inevitable trend in the transition to green transportation.

"Although electric vehicles are considered a solution to reduce emissions and promote sustainable development, ensuring fire safety must go hand in hand with appropriate infrastructure, technical standards and management. On the other hand, investment in green development is not only about using electric vehicles but also about green lifestyle, green energy and a synchronous safety system to protect the community," added Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tung.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/van-de-quan-tam/cong-an-tp-ho-chi-minh-canh-bao-rui-ro-chay-no-tu-pin-xe-dien-20251113203355012.htm