Electric vehicle charging malfunction sparked Ashburn fire that caused over $15K in damages

[mahatmakanejeeves]

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Electric vehicle charging malfunction sparked Ashburn fire that caused over $15K in damages

Will Vitka | [e-mail]

April 21, 2022, 1:22 PM

A garage fire Monday in Ashburn, Virginia, that caused more than $15,000 in damage started because of an electric vehicle charging malfunction, the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office said Thursday.

Authorities said firefighters responded to a 911 call for smoke visible from a garage around 12:30 p.m. Monday in the 44000 block of Mossy Brook Square.

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Charging electric vehicles have sparked multiple fires in recent weeks.

A fire in Damascus, Maryland, on April 1 started with an electric car charging in a garage, displaced four people, a few pets and caused $350,000 in damages.

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[MichMan]

1. They need to update building codes to require fire supression systems if EV chargers are present

[questionseverything]

2. Or they could build chargers that don't catch 🔥

[magicarpet]

3. Halon might be the ticket,....

(Snip....)

What is Halon?
Halon (short for halogenated hydrocarbon) is a liquefied gas that is used to extinguish fire by chemically interrupting the combustion chain reaction. It is nonconducting and described as a "clean agent," as it leaves no residue after being discharged. Halon fire extinguishing agents, approved for use by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), include Halon 1211, Halon 1301, and a combination of the two (Halon 1211/1301). The four-digit number represents, respectively, the number of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine atoms present in one molecule. (Reference 1)

Both Halon 1211 and 1301 have Class A, B, and C ratings and have relatively low toxicity and electrical conductivity, making them the agents of choice for extinguishing the type of fires most prevalent in aircraft. Halon 1211 is a "streaming agent," and more commonly used in hand-held extinguishers because it discharges mostly as a liquid stream.

(End snip much more at link....)

https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/html/96571301/96571301.html

[hunter]

4. The article doesn't give any specifics.

Was it actually the charger or a bad installation?

The same sorts of faults in boring appliances like electric clothes dryers don't make the news unless it's followed by a massive recall of some specific model.

If it's a bad installation, for example someone didn't torque the connectors properly, the fire is unremarkable. Shit like that happens all of the time for many sorts of high wattage appliances.

High amperage 240 volt wiring can be very unforgiving.

The fact that its an electric car charger gave the story its legs.