Electric vehicle fires occur again, all ignited while charging

[Anchor]

Today (Nov.14), fires broke out in electric vehicles that were charging in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, and Asan, Chungnam Province.

Both vehicles were equipped with domestically produced batteries, and the fire department is investigating the exact cause of the fires.

Choi In-young reports.

[Report]

Red flames are visible under the vehicle's wheels.

The smoke and flames began to spread, engulfing a nearby van.

Around 7:40 AM today, a fire broke out in an electric vehicle in the parking lot of a house in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

The vehicle was completely burned, leaving only the frame, and the parking lot was left charred black.

[Yoo Jeong-ok/Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province: "The fire started and spread to the car next to it, and our car was just about to catch fire. I moved the car over there."]

The vehicle that caught fire was a 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric.

The underground parking lot was filled with thick smoke, and firefighters sprayed water on the vehicle covered in a fire blanket.

Around 2 AM today, a fire broke out in a 2021 Mercedes electric vehicle in the underground parking lot of an apartment in Asan, Chungnam Province.

This fire caused dozens of apartment residents to evacuate urgently.

[Gong Ha-sung/Professor, Department of Fire and Disaster Management, Woosuk University: "If a fire breaks out while you are outside the car, it is advisable to immediately evacuate away from the electric vehicle. If a fire occurs inside the car, use an emergency hammer or headrest to break the window..."]

The vehicles involved in the fires in Yongin and Asan were all equipped with domestically produced batteries and were found to have caught fire while charging.

Police and others plan to conduct a detailed inspection of the vehicles to determine the exact cause of the fire, including battery overheating.

This is KBS News, Choi In-young.