Coping with the Increasing Incidents of Fires in Affordable Electric Cars.

As the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has surged in recent times, the incidents of electric car fires have also seen a significant rise. In response to this trend, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, along with the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), announced the release of the "Manual for Dealing with Electric Vehicle Fires in Multi-Unit Housing" and stated that it will be distributed starting from the 11th.

 

The release of this manual is expected to strengthen prevention and response systems for electric vehicle fires in multi-unit housing and enhance the residential safety of occupants.

 

The Surge in Electric Vehicles and Shared Responsibility in Multi-Unit Housing

Compared to 2017, the number of electric vehicles has increased more than 16 times by 2022, leading to a rapid expansion of charging infrastructure. In particular, according to current housing construction standards, newly constructed apartments with 30 or more units must obligatorily install movable charging outlets, amounting to at least 7% of the total parking spaces. In compliance with the Green Car Act, apartments with over 100 units must install charging facilities, comprising at least 5% of the total parking spaces, and existing apartments must do so by January 2025, with the requirement being 2% of the total parking spaces.

 

As a result, with the increase in the number of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, related fire incidents have also spiked. Specifically, the number of electric vehicle fire incidents has more than doubled annually since its initial occurrence in 2017, with a total of 42 incidents reported in the first half of this year alone.

 

The Necessity of a Response Manual

Common causes of electric car fires include battery defects, overcharging during parking or charging, and mechanical faults due to external impacts. Given the difficulty in suppressing such fires and the potential for extensive damage, large-scale housing complexes face increased challenges in emergency response. Hence, the "Manual for Dealing with Electric Vehicle Fires in Multi-Unit Housing" issued by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and LH provides detailed guidance on proactive measures for property management offices and residents to take in normal circumstances and outlines procedures to follow in the event of a fire.

 

Key Contents of the Manual

The manual compiles actions that property management offices and residents should practice regularly to prevent electric vehicle fires and provides detailed guidelines on responding to fire incidents when they occur. It particularly emphasizes the careful consideration of factors such as the distance from the building, proximity to children's play areas, distance from combustible material storage areas, nearby trees, and more when designating electric vehicle charging zones.

 

Distribution and Accessibility of the Manual

The manual will be distributed to public housing management departments in local governments nationwide and the Korea Association of Property Managers, among others. It will also be made freely accessible to the public through the Central Multi-Unit Housing Management Support Center's website. The release of this manual is expected to strengthen prevention and response systems for electric vehicle fires in multi-unit housing and enhance the residential safety of occupants.