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Electric Vehicle Bursts Into Flames Inside Underground Parking Lot – Over 20 People Hospitalized, 100+ Vehicles Damaged
An unplugged electric Mercedes-Benz sedan caught fire inside an underground parking lot at an apartment complex in Incheon, South Korea.
The fiery incident sent over 20 people to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and forced 700 residents to evacuate.
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, it took fire authorities eight hours to completely extinguish the blaze.
“The vehicle, which appears to be a white Mercedes EQE sedan, is seen exploding around two seconds after showing smoke in CCTV footage,” the outlet wrote.
WATCH:
Korea JoongAng Daily reports:
Twenty-one people who inhaled smoke were transferred to hospitals for medical treatment, including a firefighter who’d experienced dizziness. Seven of them were children younger than 10, including a one-year-old and a four-year-old.
As of press time, 103 people had been evacuated and 106 rescued from stairs and balconies amid the suffused smoke.
Some 70 cars parked near the Mercedes were damaged, according to fire authorities.
“The burned car is confirmed to be an EV from Mercedes-Benz,” police said. “We will conduct an immediate investigation of the exact cause of the fire with the local fire authority.”
Mercedes-Benz Korea chief to meet residents after EV fire that damaged 100 cars
. Mathias Vaitl, CEO and President of Mercedes-Benz Korea, was set to meet residents of an apartment complex in Incheon, where a fire that started from a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle destroyed over… pic.twitter.com/Csm8hHST5z
— IANS (@ians_india) August 14, 2024
The catastrophic fire has sparked increased public concerns about the safety of electric vehicles, especially in South Korea.
From The Korea Times:
Mercedes-Benz Korea is rapidly losing its reputation and trust among Korean customers due to what is perceived as “overly defensive” responses from its headquarters regarding a catastrophic fire caused by its EQE electric vehicle (EV), according to industry officials.
The incident, which erupted in an apartment complex parking garage in Incheon earlier this month, caused massive damage. More than 40 vehicles were totally destroyed in the fire, and hundreds of other cars were also severely damaged.
This incident has triggered escalating public concerns about EVs. The German luxury carmaker is drawing criticism for not announcing any countermeasures in response to the latest fiasco. While the company has decided to donate 4.5 billion won ($3.28 million) to affected residents, it has not issued an official public apology.
“The problematic EQE sedan was equipped with what customers believe to be an unsafe battery manufactured by China’s Farasis Energy,” The Korea Times noted.
“The Mercedes-Benz model EQE 350 that exploded into flames had a battery from Chinese manufacturer Farasis Energy, Mercedes Korea disclosed on its website Tuesday,” AFP News reports.
"The Mercedes-Benz model EQE 350 that exploded into flames had a battery from Chinese manufacturer Farasis Energy, Mercedes Korea disclosed on its website Tuesday." https://t.co/2KNPNiEBhO
— Lim (@lim_zl1) August 14, 2024
With thousands of electric vehicles in South Korea utilizing the same battery, residents expressed concerns of another fiery incident.
Per The Chosun Daily:
Over 3,000 electric vehicles in South Korea are equipped with the same battery that caught fire in a Mercedes-Benz EQE parked in an underground parking lot in Incheon, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). The Mercedes-Benz EQE uses battery cells by Chinese EV battery maker Farasis Energy. MOLIT says it will issue a recall order if the joint forensic investigation reveals the fire was caused by a defect in the battery or vehicle system.
“Several office buildings have now banned EVs from entering and parking, according to notices on social media, while some apartment management committees are advising EV owners to be cautious when they charge their cars,” The Japan Times noted.
Serious fires in South Korea involving electric vehicle (EV) batteries are raising alarms and prompting calls for stricter safety measures. The recent blaze in Incheon destroyed 140 cars and intensified concerns over EV fire risks. Authorities and experts are advocating for new… pic.twitter.com/MtBwFSx3M3
— thefinance360 (@thefinance360) August 14, 2024
The Japan Times reports:
The incident has rattled South Korea’s public at a time when EV sales growth — globally — is slowing. While combustion engine car fires are much more common, negative sentiment toward EVs and the fire risk their batteries may pose adds to some of the other reasons consumers shy away from buying an electric car, including higher upfront costs and lack of reliable charging infrastructure.
“Honestly it’s quite frightening and this will surely be discussed during our regular resident meeting this month,” Wayne Moon, a 37-year-old inhabitant of Gyeonggi, the province surrounding the capital, said by phone. “There’s a need for the country to overhaul everything from fire safety standards, legislation and charging infrastructure to address the risk of EV fires.”
Mercedes-Benz Korea will fully cooperate with authorities to investigate the cause of the fire but declined to comment further, according to a statement.
With social media now abuzz in Korea over the safety of EV batteries, some people are reconsidering their upcoming car purchases.
Last month, a tractor-trailer carrying lithium-ion batteries overturned and caught fire, closing I-15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Tractor-Trailer Carrying Lithium-Ion Batteries Overturns And Catches Fire, Leaving Motorists Stranded On Interstate – “Traffic Apocalypse From H***”
In June, more than 20 workers passed away after a fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory near South Korea’s capital.
Over 20 Workers Die In Fire At Lithium Battery Manufacturing Factory
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