What is the safest way to respond to electric vehicle fires?
Accidents involving damaged lithium ion batteries are being looked into, as crews could face toxic fumes or a risk of explosion
Last updated 14th Jan 2022
Devon & Somerset is one of the increasing numbers of fire services now looking at how best to respond to accidents involving electric cars - and one day even driverless cars.
A consultation has just closed which aims to 'identify emerging and future risks' the service will need to prepare for - including the growing use of powerful batteries in vehicles or private homes.
The draft Community Risk Management Plan identifies a number of potential areas for investigation including 'electric vehicles and potential self-drive vehicles'.
It also highlights 'domestic and commercial battery energy storage systems, biomass fuel plants and the government’s agenda for renewable energy, modern building construction methods, future pandemics and increasing use of e-cigarettes'.
The draft plan proposes: "To help us prepare we will link to national operational learning and review our position against national operational guidance. We will also collaborate with other fire and rescue services, the National Fire Chiefs Council and other blue light partners."
Paul Christensen is a professor of electrochemistry at Newcastle University whose research focuses on lithium ion battery fires and safety - and he also acts as a senior advisor to the National Fire Chiefs Council
Professor Christensen has been researching, alongside fire crews, the impacts of lithium ion battery fires and how best for emergency services to respond to them.
He said: "All first responders, that's fire and rescue, police, ambulance and paramedics - they all need to understand the risks and hazards that they face.
"The first hazard is obviously fire, when lithium ion batteries go into thermal runaway they vent this white vapour cloud which if it catches fire immediately, ignites immediately, you get long flare like flames.
"if it doesn't ignite immediately not only do you have the toxic risk but also you've got this hazard of potential explosion or rather deflagration and so they need to understand what they're facing.
Click here to watch Professor Christensen's presentation Lithium Ion Batteries – The Potential Hazards Facing Emergency Responders
"For example if a first responder - usually the police - comes across an electric vehicle in a road traffic collision and it starts to hiss or they hear a popping sound or it starts to emit white vapour they need to be aware that's the vapour cloud, that it's toxic and potentially explosive and they need to take appropriate actions."
The Devon & Somerset draft Community Risk Management Plan consultation adds: "Like all fire and rescue services, we are required to look at the risks faced by our communities.
"This is so that we can make sure that we have the best plans in place to reduce the likelihood of those risks becoming incidents, while also having the right people, skills, equipment and tactics in place to respond if an incident happens."
For more about the consultation click here