—It of the American insurer Autoinsuranceez, based on the data of the road safety authority of that country, the hybrid cars – which combine batteries with combustion motor – are the ones that suffer the most fires: 3,474 fires per 100,000 sales; Then follow those of gasoline and diesel, suffering from 1,529; while the safest would be the electric, with 25 ——. , has found between four and five times more fires in gas and diesel cars than among electricity, although it does not offer hybrid data. In any case, car fires with batteries involve risks that will require new security measures.
“The electric are a new, growth, positive technology, but that implies new risks in buildings, and we still do not have adequate regulations in Spain to guarantee security,” explains César Martín-Gómez, architecture professor at the University of Navarra and co-author of two studies on the subject. “Zero emissions have different types of batteries and different ways of burning. In addition, there are new elements that are installed in buildings: loaders, cables, energy distribution …”, continues. Neither the DGT nor the Unespa insurance employer has data on fires in vehicles.
Mohd Zahirasri, a battery expert chemist, is the other co -author: “Combustion vehicles can cause serious fires, but the dynamics of fire differs from those of batteries, which can release toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride (HF) due to the combustion of battery electrolytes. This is especially worrying, since it is a significant risk for health and does not Internal combustion vehicles.
In their works they show that electric vehicle fires can reach higher heat release rates than combustion, which is also the higher the battery. They also analyzed a hundred fires in several countries in Europe, and concluded that in 42% of cases the cause was unknown, in 29% it was due to vehicle failures, while in 13% it was due to external factors and in 9% by human factors.
Firefighters are already preparing for this type of fires, as confirmed by Patxi Ayensa, of the incident formation group in vehicles of the firefighters of Navarra. “Current protection teams protect against these gases, although they can also be absorbed by the skin. The important thing is that they inform us of what type of car is burning, because each one has their own fire dynamics.”
How is? “In combustion cars, the fire comes out and usually ends when gasoline ends. Meanwhile, in plug -in cars, when the battery is damaged the cells – there can be 3,000 to 7,000 per vehicle – they begin to generate gases that are coming out through holes perpendicular to the car. That is why the fire expands like this, as if it were a storm.
Security measures
Martín-Gómez points out that new safety measures should be taken in anticipation of the increase in electricity: “The first measure should be to study whether it is allowed to enter the electric into underground parking lots of singular buildings, such as an old hospital or an old one. And it would be positive for these vehicles to appear in the highest plants and close to the accesses, to facilitate the work of firefighters.”
In addition to cars, there are new electrical systems – recharge points, cables – that must be checked. “Systems such as thermographic cameras can be installed, which allow to see if both the installation and a battery are overheating. Meanwhile, the ventilation systems will have to reinforce to remove more air and be more resistant to the fumes. It will also have to explore the possibility of having new types of extinguishers, because these fires cannot be thrown water,” continues the expert of the University of Navarra.
All agree that the early alert is fundamental. “It helps a lot to call firefighters and say exactly what car is (hybrid, electric, gasoline, gas) and even the enrollment,” says Ayensa. “One of the options is to use a thermal blanket, which serves to cool the cells and suffocate the gases, since if they continue to burning the chemical reaction, it is feeded. Another idea is to put the car in a water pool,” he adds. That did the firefighters of Zumárraga (Gipuzkoa) a few days ago with a hybrid that burned in the street. “It serves to lower the temperature and cool the cells, so that the unesis would not burn.” It is a much more complex solution in a garage.
Looking ahead, the firefighter asks to apply new solutions to parking lots: “More measures for gas evacuation and extraction of hot smoke or curtains or gangs to prevent fires between cars.” Martín-Gómez concludes: “In the new parking lots it can also be stated that the places for electric are more separate to avoid risks, although with the old ones it is more complex. In any case, the regulations must be improved to adapt it to these new vehicles.”
