Fire sparks chaos: Lithium battery turns van to ashes in Chon Buri

[snoop1130]

 

A fire broke out from a lithium battery, causing a van in Chon Buri to burn to cinders. The driver, noticing a burning smell, quickly pulled over and escaped. Police are set to investigate the cause.

 

A dramatic incident unfolded last night, June 27, when a white Toyota Commuter van caught fire on Suk Prayoon Road in Nong Tamlueng, Phan Thong District, Chon Buri. At approximately 11pm, local police from Phan Thong station, along with firefighters from Nong Tamlueng Municipality and Nong Kakha Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, received reports of the fire and promptly dispatched three fire trucks to the scene.

 

Upon arrival, emergency responders found the van engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked swiftly, taking over 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze completely. Unfortunately, the fire had consumed the entire vehicle, leaving nothing but a charred metal frame.

 

The van’s owner, 64 year old Sommat recounted the events leading up to the fire. He explained that while driving to run errands, he detected a burning smell and decided to pull over to the side of the road. He then called a mechanic to schedule an inspection and repair.

 

Moments later, Sommat noticed flames emanating from the area where he had installed an additional lithium battery to power the vehicle’s air conditioning system. The fire intensified rapidly, making it impossible for him to extinguish it.

 

 

The van owner emphasised that his van had not undergone any other modifications apart from the installation of the lithium battery for air conditioning purposes. He also mentioned that it was a personal vehicle used solely for his private activities.

 

“I saw the flames starting from the lithium battery. It escalated so quickly that I couldn’t control it.”

 

Police are carrying out a detailed investigation to determine the precise cause of the fire. Police have indicated that they will conduct further interviews with Sommat and involve forensic experts to thoroughly examine the remnants of the vehicle.

 

This investigation aims to uncover any potential faults or issues with the lithium battery installation that might have led to the incident, reported KhaoSod.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-06-28

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[Georgealbert]

This seems to be a ill advised, self installed Lithium battery system that maybe started the fire, but pictures show the vehicle burnt really well.

 

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“I saw the flames starting from the lithium battery. It escalated so quickly that I couldn’t control it.”

So why the need for forensic experts in the case of a vehicle fire... no-one injured or worse?

[Presnock]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

A fire broke out from a lithium battery, causing a van in Chon Buri to burn to cinders. The driver, noticing a burning smell, quickly pulled over and escaped. Police are set to investigate the cause.

 

A dramatic incident unfolded last night, June 27, when a white Toyota Commuter van caught fire on Suk Prayoon Road in Nong Tamlueng, Phan Thong District, Chon Buri. At approximately 11pm, local police from Phan Thong station, along with firefighters from Nong Tamlueng Municipality and Nong Kakha Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, received reports of the fire and promptly dispatched three fire trucks to the scene.

 

Upon arrival, emergency responders found the van engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked swiftly, taking over 20 minutes to extinguish the blaze completely. Unfortunately, the fire had consumed the entire vehicle, leaving nothing but a charred metal frame.

 

The van’s owner, 64 year old Sommat recounted the events leading up to the fire. He explained that while driving to run errands, he detected a burning smell and decided to pull over to the side of the road. He then called a mechanic to schedule an inspection and repair.

 

Moments later, Sommat noticed flames emanating from the area where he had installed an additional lithium battery to power the vehicle’s air conditioning system. The fire intensified rapidly, making it impossible for him to extinguish it.

 

 

The van owner emphasised that his van had not undergone any other modifications apart from the installation of the lithium battery for air conditioning purposes. He also mentioned that it was a personal vehicle used solely for his private activities.

 

“I saw the flames starting from the lithium battery. It escalated so quickly that I couldn’t control it.”

 

Police are carrying out a detailed investigation to determine the precise cause of the fire. Police have indicated that they will conduct further interviews with Sommat and involve forensic experts to thoroughly examine the remnants of the vehicle.

 

This investigation aims to uncover any potential faults or issues with the lithium battery installation that might have led to the incident, reported KhaoSod.

 

By Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-06-28

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

My daughter in the states mentioned that several EV fires in her area (MD) needed 4 fire companies to put out the fires all reportedly due to the lithium batteries so has turned off a lot of EV buyers there.

Just saying...

[Henryford]

Still want that EV?

[JBChiangRai]

15 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Still want that EV?

 

You're forgetting that EV's are between 11 and 130 times less likely to catch fire than an ICE car.

 

I suspect this guy has wired a 12v lithium battery in parallel with his existing 12v battery expecting the car to charge it.  There was likely no BMS (Battery Management System) and if you overcharge a Lithium battery for any length of time, you will destroy it, most likely it will catch fire.

 

We have 2 Lithium batteries that replaced the Lead-Acid ones in two motorbikes.  They have the all-important BMS built into the battery.

[Peterphuket]

I don't like EV's but this has nothing to do with EV's

[The Theory]

I did not know that adding batteries help ac 🤔 

[Georgealbert]

3 hours ago, Presnock said:

My daughter in the states mentioned that several EV fires in her area (MD) needed 4 fire companies to put out the fires all reportedly due to the lithium batteries so has turned off a lot of EV buyers there.

Just saying...

This was a not an EV, the owner had installed an additional lithium battery to power the vehicle's air conditioning system.

 

This was a Toyota Commuter that has a diesel engine.

[Georgealbert]

3 hours ago, Henryford said:

Still want that EV?

So a Toyota Commuter fire, with a diesel engine would put people off EVs.

 

This fire seems was due to a poor, self installed lithium battery to power the air conditioner.

 

 

[connda]

What I want to know is how to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire.  Are there a class of fire extinguishers that are used to put out these types of fires?

[Georgealbert]

12 minutes ago, connda said:

What I want to know is how to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire.  Are there a class of fire extinguishers that are used to put out these types of fires?

Depends on the size of the batteries.

 

Here is some advice from online,

 

“In the case of a lithium battery fire, there are several ways to extinguish it based on the size and type of battery.

 

Class D fire extinguishers are effective against lithium-metal battery fires. Lithium-ion battery fires are Class B fires, indicating the presence of flammable liquids, so a standard dry chemical or ABC extinguisher can put them out. Lithium battery fire extinguishers counteract the liquid electrolytes in the battery that create conductive pathways.

 

Small lithium batteries contain very little lithium, so they can be doused with water. To put out large lithium-ion battery fires, use a foam extinguisher containing CO2, powder graphite, ABC dry chemical, or sodium carbonate.

 

In battery pack fires, each cell may burn on a different timeline. Place the battery pack in a protected outdoor space to allow it to completely burn out.

 

If a fire cannot be extinguished, let the battery burn out in a controlled way. Prevent the fire from spreading by soaking the surrounding area with water.”

 

https://textechindustries.com/blog/how-do-you-extinguish-a-lithium-battery-fire/
 

There also many new types of extinguishers for these risks.

 

Aqueous Vermiculite Dispersion AVD Fire Extinguisher - AVD Fire Extinguisher agent is an aqueous dispersion of chemically exfoliated vermiculite. It is applied to lithium battery fires as a mist, extinguishing them and preventing the propagation of the fire.

F-500 fire extinguisher- F-500 is a multiple-purpose firefighting agent which is ideal for Class A, B and F/K fires.

 

[Georgealbert]

Video of the burning van here.

 

https://fb.watch/s-kPt8CLbw/?

[Presnock]

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

This was a not an EV, the owner had installed an additional lithium battery to power the vehicle's air conditioning system.

 

This was a Toyota Commuter that has a diesel engine.

but the common thread is lithium battery - guess if it is in a fire, difficult to douse it - vehicles burn everything flamable I guess.

[DavisH]

5 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

You're forgetting that EV's are between 11 and 130 times less likely to catch fire than an ICE car.

 

I suspect this guy has wired a 12v lithium battery in parallel with his existing 12v battery expecting the car to charge it.  There was likely no BMS (Battery Management System) and if you overcharge a Lithium battery for any length of time, you will destroy it, most likely it will catch fire.

 

We have 2 Lithium batteries that replaced the Lead-Acid ones in two motorbikes.  They have the all-important BMS built into the battery.

So a 2024 hybrid accord or camry is 11-13x more likely to catch fire than a new byd or tesla? BS!!!!!

If your precious byd does catch fire its absolute toast. There is no way it can be saved. 

Anyway your seal will be worth nothing in 10 years, like most of the current evs on sale now. 

[Georgealbert]

33 minutes ago, Presnock said:

but the common thread is lithium battery - guess if it is in a fire, difficult to douse it - vehicles burn everything flamable I guess.

Looking at the pictures and videos of this fire, my best guess would be that the battery probably started the fire, but most of the burning were in fittings, seats, etc.. The battery was likely just a small unit, self installed, but Definitely not a battery pack like you would encounter with an EV. A dry powder extinguisher would most likely have dealt with this in the eraly stages.

 

As the responders in the linked video, apply water, you see a couple times when sparks are thrown up, this is likely water reacting with burning aluminium parts.

 

Whatever the initial ignition source, if the fire has enough oxygen then all vehicles are capable of burning like this.

[Presnock]

1 minute ago, Georgealbert said:

Looking at the pictures and videos of this fire, my best guess would be that the battery probably started the fire, but most of the burning were in fittings, seats, etc.. The battery was likely just a small unit, self installed, but definitely not a battery pack like you would encounter with an EV. A dry powder extinguisher would most likely have dealt with this in the eraly stages.

 

As the responders apply water, you see a couple times when sparks are thrown up, this is likely water reacting with burning aluminium parts.

 

Whatever the initial ignition source, if the fire has enough oxygen then all vehicles are capable of burning like this.

WoW! I have seen vehicle fires before but recently all the fires I have seen are just awesome to watch but must be horrifying to the owners/drivers hope all always escape!

[JBChiangRai]

31 minutes ago, DavisH said:

So a 2024 hybrid accord or camry is 11-13x more likely to catch fire than a new byd or tesla? BS!!!!!

If your precious byd does catch fire its absolute toast. There is no way it can be saved. 

Anyway your seal will be worth nothing in 10 years, like most of the current evs on sale now. 

 

No you're out by a factor of 10, any Hybrid is 130 times (One hundred and thirty) times more likely to catch fire than an EV.  

 

Government data show gasoline vehicles are up to 100x more prone to fires than EVs | Electrek

[emanphoto]

6 hours ago, Presnock said:

My daughter in the states mentioned that several EV fires in her area (MD) needed 4 fire companies to put out the fires all reportedly due to the lithium batteries so has turned off a lot of EV buyers there.

Just saying...

Indeed!

https://wgme.com/news/local/electric-vehicle-fire-department-naples-harrison-fatal-crash-dep-environment-safety

[Photoguy21]

Now that is something you dont get with ICE vehicles. Maybe EV's are the way to go.

[Georgealbert]

23 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Now that is something you dont get with ICE vehicles. Maybe EV's are the way to go.

This was an ICE vehicle.

[digger70]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

No you're out by a factor of 10, any Hybrid is 130 times (One hundred and thirty) times more likely to catch fire than an EV.  

 

Government data show gasoline vehicles are up to 100x more prone to fires than EVs | Electrek

You know that the hybrid car fires started from the overheated batteries Yes?

So the Problem Is the Batteries Not  the IC Engine.

 

Why are hybrid cars more likely to catch fire?

According to AutoinsuranceEZ’s research, hybrid cars stand out as the most risky among fuel types when it comes to fire hazards. But why? Well, it turns out that the unique combination of a traditional gasoline engine and a high-powered electric battery system in hybrid vehicles is the primary problem.

This interesting blend of power sources, although innovative and efficient, unintentionally generates a significant amount of heat. While this heat is crucial for the operation of hybrid cars, it also poses a potential threat to the integrity of the lithium-ion battery.

When a cell of this Lithium-ion battery overheats, it can enter a process called ‘thermal runaway’. This basically means that the cells keep making themselves hotter and hotter, very quickly. They ignite the other cells in the battery, making the whole battery catch fire. Lithium batteries can even reignite after they’ve been put out.

[Photoguy21]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

This was an ICE vehicle.

Not from what I read elsewhere it wasnt. Where in an ICE vehicle are Lithium batteries?

[JBChiangRai]

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

No you're out by a factor of 10, any Hybrid is 130 times (One hundred and thirty) times more likely to catch fire than an EV.  

 

Government data show gasoline vehicles are up to 100x more prone to fires than EVs | Electrek

 

7 minutes ago, digger70 said:

You know that the hybrid car fires started from the overheated batteries Yes?

So the Problem Is the Batteries Not  the IC Engine.

 

Why are hybrid cars more likely to catch fire?

According to AutoinsuranceEZ’s research, hybrid cars stand out as the most risky among fuel types when it comes to fire hazards. But why? Well, it turns out that the unique combination of a traditional gasoline engine and a high-powered electric battery system in hybrid vehicles is the primary problem.

This interesting blend of power sources, although innovative and efficient, unintentionally generates a significant amount of heat. While this heat is crucial for the operation of hybrid cars, it also poses a potential threat to the integrity of the lithium-ion battery.

When a cell of this Lithium-ion battery overheats, it can enter a process called ‘thermal runaway’. This basically means that the cells keep making themselves hotter and hotter, very quickly. They ignite the other cells in the battery, making the whole battery catch fire. Lithium batteries can even reignite after they’ve been put out.

 

I can't agree that the batteries are the problem, not the ICE.

 

We have figures for ICE, EV and lastly Hybrid (i.e. an ICE and EV combined).

 

The figures for the ICE are about 11 times higher than the EV, so the problem seems to come from the ICE.  The Hybrid is 130 times higher than the EV.

[digger70]

Just now, JBChiangRai said:

 

 

I can't agree that the batteries are the problem, not the ICE.

 

We have figures for ICE, EV and lastly Hybrid (i.e. an ICE and EV combined).

 

The figures for the ICE are about 11 times higher than the EV, so the problem seems to come from the ICE.  The Hybrid is 130 times higher than the EV.

You seem not to understand that the batteries Overheat ed and caused the fires.

Just Admid that the Batteries Are the problem No matter How they are Overheated .

end of Rant OK. I Don't want anymore Lies .

[JBChiangRai]

1 minute ago, digger70 said:

You seem not to understand that the batteries Overheat ed and caused the fires.

Just Admid that the Batteries Are the problem No matter How they are Overheated .

end of Rant OK. I Don't want anymore Lies .

 

You are leaping to a conclusion and the data contradicts that conclusion.

 

I'm sorry you don't like government statistics and I commend you in your fanciful way of reading them.

[UWEB]

12 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Not from what I read elsewhere it wasnt. Where in an ICE vehicle are Lithium batteries?

May be better to read the Article, the owner has installed a Lithium Battery to keep the Air Con running.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Video of the burning van here.

 

https://fb.watch/s-kPt8CLbw/?

It's worth noting a fire hose was ineffective in extinguishing the fire. Just as well it did not occur in an enclosed space, such as undercover parking.

[sandyf]

10 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

You are leaping to a conclusion and the data contradicts that conclusion.

 

I'm sorry you don't like government statistics and I commend you in your fanciful way of reading them.

All vehicles will go on fire if set alight. The source of ignition can be deliberate, accidental or malfunction.

Lithium batteries are exactly that wherever they are used, I would have thought by now everyone would have been aware of the risks involved in their use.

[Georgealbert]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

Not from what I read elsewhere it wasnt. Where in an ICE vehicle are Lithium batteries?

Try reading the report, it was a Toyota Commuter van, that is only available in Thailand with a diesel engine.

 

The fire was believed started by a battery the owner had installed to power the AC.

 

it is not a EV.