Operational Tactics / Procedures for EV Fires?

[Messyshaw]

Has your employer provided operational procedures for fires involving electric vehicles (EVs)? Indeed, is there any national plan? How about rapid EV chargers/ Have you been issued with guidance?

I am drawing up a strategy for my employer who are rapidly rolling out EVs across the fleet. There will be up to 125 amp rapid chargers installed in car parking areas - both in covered (internal) and open (external) car parking areas, plus workshops where the EVs will be worked on at the same time.

I am making progress in ensuring electrical safety and control measures to reduce the risk of ignition and spread, but understanding fire service tactics may help steer my final draft, particularly when selecting firefighting equipment.

I am also a little concerned about our recovery vehicles when they pick up cars that have been previously damaged. Of course the risk of a overheated battery is considerably higher after a physical shock, so transporting such a vehicle could be problematic - and then delivering it to a car workshop and perhaps leaving it there out of hours needs to be considered.

If its possible to post your F&RS's procedures or a summary, I would be much obliged. In addition, if your employer has issued any fire safety guidance to enforcement teams, I would be interested in that too - plus any anecdotes from any of you that have attended an EV job

So far I have a copy of the FPA's Riscauthority Guidance which seems pretty good, but what do you lot do at a fire? The good old days of lobbing water on and then disconnecting the battery may not be the best action I assume?

[Dyson]

My only experience is attending one battery powered car fire following RTC. The battery had caught fire and water in copious amounts wasn't affective.  We filled the battery with DP, which put it out. 

[Messyshaw]

Its a bit worrying that two months after my post, there is only the one reply! 

I have been doing a bit of research and I can conclude that EVs are here to stay. Fires are less likely, but they bring with them new risks in fires and RTCs - and in determining safe systems for parking and charging them - So if your Employer haven't any guidance, get onto them

18 x MotoE electric racing bikes go up hours before the first ever race of that formula - that's all the bikes that were running. A short circuit fire spread to the special high energy battery and it was all over. 

A Tesla goes up when not even on charge. Can you imagine a mum strapping a baby in the Audi? That speed of fire spread will kill

Lastly, another Tesla - this time in a RTC caught fire and it took many hours to extinguish - are you ready??