Preliminary findings from the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (BOMBA) revealed that the two parked electric vehicles (EVs) involved in a recent fire in Petaling Jaya were not charging during the incident.
The findings were revealed by BOMBA director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad in a report published by The Star. The latest update debunks early speculation blaming EV charging or the wallbox charger as the cause of the fire.
He said the fire occurred hours after charging had concluded.
As shared by Bomba Damansara last week, there was a fire incident at a car porch involving two EVs. The two vehicles appear to be an XPeng G6 and a BYD Seal.
No injuries were reported but the fire had reportedly damaged about 10% of the house interior. As shown on the Facebook post, the fire was extinguished with water.
While investigations suggest charging did not directly cause this particular fire, authorities continue to emphasise the importance of proper installation and safety compliance for EV chargers.
Nor Hisham said EV chargers should be sourced from approved suppliers and comply with safety standards to ensure safety.
He added that the installation of chargers must comply with MS IEC 61851 and MS IEC 62196 standards, as well as standards set by the commission.
Malaysia Electric Vehicle Owners Club (MyEVOC) President Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi said the association has had engagements with the Energy Commission, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and certified installation specialists to make home charging safe and accessible.
Besides engaging with competent installers, Shahrol also recommends installing smoke detectors near charging points. He highlighted wire connections could get loose over time which would increase the risk of overheating.
He also urged EV owners to engage with certified, professional installers and to ensure that their home chargers are installed properly with monitoring and regular maintenance.
Shortly after the fire incident, there was a lot of speculation about the potential cause. Some even alleged that the premise owner refused to upgrade its power supply from single-phase to three-phase.
However, visuals of the meter outside the gate indicates that the house has been upgraded to three-phase.
EV fires always get a lot of attention online but they are much rarer compared to fires involving vehicles with internal combustion engines. In a previous report, Nor Hisham cited data from the United States and Europe, which showed that EVs catch fire less frequently than gasoline-powered cars.
He said there were 1,530 fires per 100,000 gasoline vehicles (1.53%) and 3,475 fires per 100,000 hybrid vehicles (3.48%). Meanwhile, there were 25 fires per 100,000 EVs (0.025%).
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