Each year, Essex Fire and Rescue Service focuses on one area of "top-up" training for its crews. In recent years, this has included sessions

The crews bracing themselves for a rise in electric car fires

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2024-03-30 21:00:04

Each year, Essex Fire and Rescue Service focuses on one area of "top-up" training for its crews. In recent years, this has included sessions on firefighting at height and managing hazardous materials. This year, a new course is being introduced: How to deal with electric vehicle fires. Why?

His new responsibility comes as the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on UK roads hits more than 540,000. And the number is rising fast.

The batteries - the source of the fire - are often hard to reach, he says, and EV fires can create directional jet flames and vapour cloud explosions.

EV fires also create a variety of toxic chemicals both in the air and in the water run-off if firefighters use hoses to keep the flames in check.

Not all recovery companies will take damaged cars away, says Mr Maher, either because they are concerned about handling a burned EV or because they do not have the right recovery vehicles (EVs cannot be towed, because the turning of the back wheels generates power).

In one incident last year involving a Tesla, police and firefighters had to wait more than four hours for a specialist recovery vehicle to arrive.