Tightly manage electric vehicle charging points at apartment buildings in Nghe An

Potential fire and explosion when charging electric vehicles

Fire prevention and fighting work is currently receiving more attention than ever from local authorities, apartment building management boards, people across the country in general and Nghe An province in particular.

According to the reporter's records, currently, apartment buildings, mini-apartments, and high-rise boarding houses in Nghe An still have potential fire and explosion risks such as narrow entrances that make it difficult for fire-fighting and rescue vehicles to access; many apartments have sealed "tiger cages" and lack fire-fighting equipment... In addition, a potential risk is that charging electric vehicles in apartment basements is still unsafe.

Currently, electric vehicles are quite popular in apartment buildings in Vinh City, with an average of 20-50 electric vehicles per building, often charging in the basement. According to observations, fire prevention work has many shortcomings such as not arranging separate charging points for electric vehicles, charging areas lacking ventilation, many covering objects, lack of automatic circuit breakers when overloaded... Meanwhile, the number of people using electric vehicles is increasing, often charging at the same time during rush hour, so the risk of overload and fire is obvious.

Along with that, people's habit of charging electric vehicle batteries is also alarming. Many people charge the battery for longer than necessary, even charging overnight, charging continuously, charging in high temperatures, charging immediately after use - when the battery has not cooled down yet... In addition, some households replace chargers and batteries of electric vehicles with poor quality and cheap prices, increasing the risk of short circuit and fire.

At the major fire at the Khuong Ha mini apartment building in Hanoi, the initial cause, according to local authorities, was that at the time of the incident, there were 70 motorbikes and about 30 electric cars on the first floor of the building. While charging, the electrical system was overloaded, leading to a short circuit and fire. Immediately after, smoke rose up the stairs and elevator, affecting all escape routes, causing the tragic fire.

In Vinh City, there was also a recent incident of an electric vehicle catching fire while charging. Specifically, the incident occurred at around 11:40 p.m. on September 7 at Mr. NQT’s house in Cua Nam Ward, Vinh City, Nghe An and was recorded by a surveillance camera.

Accordingly, Mr. T's electric motorbike suddenly emitted black smoke while it was charging, then a fire broke out. The homeowner said that fortunately, the family was able to put out the fire in time, otherwise the disaster would have been unpredictable. It is worth mentioning that the family's motorbike has been used for the past 2 years and has been regularly inspected. It can be seen that an electric motorbike suddenly exploding while charging can happen at any time and is also a warning to those who are using electric motorbikes with improper charging habits.

Tightly manage electric vehicle charging points

Faced with the potential risk of fires involving electric vehicles, apartment building management boards are currently taking many measures to ensure the safety of residents using electric vehicles during charging.

Tan Phuc Apartment Building, Vinh City has more than 200 apartments with 37 electric motorbikes and electric bicycles. On the morning of September 18, the building management board repaired and replaced the charging power lines for electric vehicles in the apartment building.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly, Deputy Manager of Tan Phuc Apartment Building, said: The fire in the apartment building in Hanoi made us very worried, so the management board has agreed to renovate the electric vehicle charging area for residents. All electric vehicles will be concentrated in one area, ensuring ventilation, with security guarding 24/7. The charging power line is completely new, with a circuit breaker that automatically cuts off the power if overloaded... Residents who arrange their electric vehicles haphazardly in other areas will be reminded and required to comply with regulations.

At Tan Thinh apartment building, fire prevention work at electric vehicle charging points has also been tightened by the building management board. The electric vehicle charging area in the basement has been arranged separately, not mixed with other vehicle areas and close to the security guard's watch point to be able to handle situations promptly.

Mr. Le Van Huong - Head of Tan Thinh Apartment Management Board said: Fire prevention and fighting work is currently of great concern to apartment residents and we have also reviewed the entire fire prevention and fighting system in the apartment building. Particularly for the electric vehicle charging area, we have arranged a separate power line, not shared with the building's power line, so that when an electrical incident occurs, the level of danger will be limited. In addition, residents using electric vehicles are required to arrange a reasonable charging time, preferably charging during the day, not charging overnight, and the apartment building has also stipulated that from 0:00 every day onwards, the power source in the charging area will be cut off to ensure safety. In addition, cases of smoking or carrying flammable objects in the basement, if detected, will be strictly handled according to regulations.

Mr. Hoang Manh Cuong - Vice Chairman of Vinh Tan Ward People's Committee said: The ward has many high-rise apartment buildings (10 buildings), so fire prevention and fighting work is also a top priority. In recent days, local authorities and ward police have also inspected and reviewed apartment buildings, especially rectifying the unscientific and unsafe charging of electric vehicles in the basements of buildings. For apartment buildings that do not ensure fire prevention and fighting, due to exceeding their authority, the locality will make recommendations to the city and relevant authorities for timely handling to ensure the safety of residents.

Previously, on September 13, 2023, Nghe An Provincial Police issued Official Dispatch No. 3031/CAT-PV01 directing urgent solutions to strengthen fire prevention and fighting work in apartment buildings and boarding houses in Nghe An province, in which the Management Board, the apartment building management and operation unit, and the owners of mini apartments are required to arrange security guards to be on duty and guard the basement area (or the first floor where people's vehicles are stored) of the apartment building at night to both ensure security and order, and perform the task of checking the fire prevention and fighting system, especially implementing measures to ensure safety in the charging area for electric bicycles, electric motorbikes, electric cars in the basement and organizing supervision of the charging process to ensure fire and explosion safety.

To prevent the risk of fire and explosion while using electric vehicles, the Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue Police Department recommends charging according to the manufacturer's instructions and recommendations to ensure durability and safety during use.

Specifically, do not charge the vehicle when detecting a fault in the charging device or vehicle, when the battery shows signs of swelling, cracking, etc., and need to replace the battery. Charge the battery when it is almost empty, using a suitable and stable power source (according to the manufacturer's recommended voltage level).

After use, wait for the battery to cool for about 20 minutes before charging. Do not charge immediately after driving. Do not charge for more than 8 hours continuously. When charging, disconnect the power source, otherwise it will affect the charging process. If the vehicle is not used for a long time, charge the battery until it is full and then remove it from the vehicle. Do not leave the battery in hot, humid areas. Store the battery in a cool, dry place.

Charging should be done in a cool, dry place. When charging indoors, avoid closed places and ensure good ventilation in temperatures from 0-35 degrees Celsius. If not, take measures to insulate or reduce heat...