Electric Vehicles: The Fire Within and the Safety Revolution Ahead

Synthesised By Dr. K. Saravanan

Electric mobility is no longer a distant dream—it is here, humming on our streets and silently promising a cleaner tomorrow. But behind this promise lurks a fiery truth. The lithium-ion heart of every EV is both its strength and its weakness. Unlike traditional engines that burn and die quickly, EV batteries burn differently—longer, hotter, and far more unpredictably. And right now, we are not fully ready for it.

Our firefighting systems are built for yesterday’s machines, not today’s electric beasts. Strategies differ from city to city, often improvised on the spot, and rarely guided by hard science. There is no single battle plan, no universally accepted way to bring down a battery fire. Why? Because no two EVs are the same—the chemistry of the cells, the size of the pack, the way it is buried deep inside the vehicle—all change the rules of the game.

And when an EV burns, it is not just fire—it is science gone rogue. “Thermal runaway” is the villain here, a domino effect where one unstable cell sets off another until the whole pack becomes an inferno. Even when the flames appear to die, the beast is only sleeping; hidden energy lingers inside, ready to reignite hours or even days later. Worse still, experiments show that some so-called safety devices, like fire blankets, can backfire—literally—by trapping flammable gases and causing explosions.

Add to this the fact that most firefighters are not fully armed for this new battle. Many lack specialized gear, cooling systems, or even clear emergency playbooks. They face a fire that behaves unlike anything they’ve fought before, with tools designed for another era. Research is racing to catch up—full-scale EV burn tests, experimental cooling units, and smart fire blankets are all being explored—but we are still at the beginning of the curve.

India’s legal framework, meanwhile, is patchy and scattered across codes and committees. The National Building Code demands ventilation for battery rooms, the Central Electricity Authority insists on safeguards against explosive gases, international standards like IEC and NFPA bring in global practices, and state fire services enforce their own rules through the Fire NOC system. Haryana, for instance, requires mechanical ventilation, hydrogen detectors, and automatic exhausts for high-rise buildings. Yet the enforcement is divided, with too many authorities and too little clarity.

The hottest flashpoint right now is EV charging in basements of high-rises. On paper, it looks convenient. In practice, it is a ticking time bomb. The deeper the basement, the deadlier the risk: no ventilation, smoke trapped in concrete cages, fire services struggling to reach. The Mantralaya fire in Mumbai stands as a grim reminder—batteries in closed spaces can turn a single spark into a floor-wide catastrophe. Charging at ground level, podiums, or at most the first basement with heavy-duty safeguards might be tolerable. Anything beyond that is inviting disaster.

Another battleground is extinguishers. The Mumbai Fire Brigade has wisely recommended advanced extinguishers such as the F-500 encapsulator and aqueous vermiculite dispersion. But here comes the red tape: India’s 2023 Quality Control Order bans any extinguisher without an ISI mark, and right now, no ISI-certified extinguisher exists for lithium-ion fires. The suppliers have begged the Bureau of Indian Standards for exceptions; silence is the only reply. Meanwhile, our firefighters stand on the frontlines without the right weapons.

This is where we must admit the hard truth: India is not fully battle-ready for EV fires. The guidelines we have are only fragments of the bigger picture. They do not answer critical questions about runaway battery reactions in basements, smoke extraction systems for toxic vapors, or emergency shutoffs for charging stations. They do not ensure that every firefighter is trained and armed for this new war. And worst of all, EV chargers are being sold and installed like plug-and-play gadgets, with zero thought for safety, power quality, or network stability.

We cannot afford to stumble forward blindly. The solution is clear: India needs a National EV Charging Safety Code, revolutionary in scope and uncompromising in enforcement—just as the National Building Code became a backbone for construction safety. Such a code must demand periodic safety audits, mandatory certifications, and above all, accountability. Because fire and electricity are not forgiving teachers—once they strike, the damage is permanent.

This is not just about codes and checklists. It is about the safety of our cities, our people, and the very trust in electric mobility. The EV revolution cannot succeed on promises alone; it must ride on the shoulders of safety. The time for half-measures is over. We must act, we must legislate, and we must prepare before the next spark hits the Headline.

“All the information presented above is based solely on the past and present experiences of firefighters, the legal provisions available in India, and

represents a collective opinion and ideas of diverse voices, filtered for educational purposes. This content reflects the perspective of the author and may

represent a different school of thought, with the overarching aim of promoting safety and contributing to the vision of a safer and more resilient India.”

©drtksaravanan2025