While electric vehicle fires are statistically less frequent than internal combustion petrol or diesel engine blazes, lithium-ion battery fires behave very differently. They burn hotter (exceeding 1,000°C), release lethal toxic gas clouds, and cannot be extinguished by standard portable foam extinguishers. Knowing the correct emergency protocol can save lives.

1. The 3 Early Warning Signs of Impending Thermal Runaway

Lithium-ion cells rarely catch fire without precursor signals. If you detect any of the following while driving or charging, act immediately:

2. Immediate Emergency Action Protocol

1. Stop and Park Clear of Structures: Bring the vehicle to an immediate halt. If possible, steer away from fuel stations, dense traffic, trees, and building basements. Engage the park brake and shut off the main vehicle power switch.
2. Evacuate Immediately (30-Metre Perimeter): Get all passengers out immediately. Walk at least 30 metres (100 feet) upwind from the vehicle. Never open the bonnet, battery cover, or attempt to retrieve personal luggage from the boot.
3. Call 112 Immediately: Dial 112 (National Emergency Helpline). Inform the dispatcher clearly: “An electric vehicle traction battery is in thermal runaway. We need fire response with high-volume water deluge capability, not foam.”
4. Never Inhale the Smoke: Lithium battery thermal runaway combustion produces highly hazardous toxic gases, including Hydrogen Fluoride (HF), which causes severe chemical burns to lung tissue, along with Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN). Always remain positioned upwind.

3. Fire Extinguisher Truth: What Actually Works?

Position 13 of your vehicle’s 21-digit BPAN code specifies the certified extinguishing agent. For almost all Indian EVs, the code is C (Dry Chemical Powder / CO₂):

• Small Incipient Fire (Wiring/Plastics): A standard 2 kg or 4 kg ABC dry chemical powder extinguisher can knock down peripheral plastic or tyre flames to allow safe passenger evacuation.
• Thermal Runaway (Inside the Sealed Battery Pack): Handheld extinguishers cannot stop thermal runaway inside sealed battery enclosures. The only effective firefighting method is sustained, high-volume water deluge (thousands of litres) directed at the battery casing to absorb heat and cool adjacent cells below their thermal decomposition threshold.
• 24-Hour Delayed Reignition Danger: Degraded or damaged lithium cells can experience secondary thermal runaway up to 24 hours after flames are extinguished. Any EV involved in a thermal incident must be quarantined in an open yard at least 15 metres away from any structure.