From No Trick Zone
By P Gosselin
The article from Blackout News here reports on how a severe fire was triggered by an electric car at a charging station in Schwaigern (Baden-Württemberg) on February 16, 2026.
Avoid parking next to electric cars
Blackout News reports that an electric car connected to a public charging station caught fire on Monday morning and the fire quickly spread to a motorhome parked next to it. Since the motorhome contained gas cylinders, the intense heat triggered several explosions!
Multiple other cars in the immediate vicinity were damaged by the flames and heat. Two buildings were damaged as well -one directly adjacent residential house and a building on the opposite side of the street. Property damage was estimated to be in the mid-six-figure range. The report describes a local “inferno”.
According to Blackout News, extinguishing the fire proved difficult due to the burning EV battery, which required continuous cooling to prevent reignition.
Electric cars are notorious fire risks, banned in some parking garages, ferry lines
It’s little wonder that some ferry companies and parking garage operators have introduced bans or restrictions on electric vehicles (EVs). The primary reason cited is fire safety as electric vehicle battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish once they start, especially in confined spaces like ship decks or underground garages.
Several shipping companies have made headlines by banning or restricting EVs: In 2023, Havila Kystruten (Norway) shipping line made the high-profile decision to ban electric, hybrid, and hydrogen cars from its coastal ferries. They argued that their onboard firefighting systems were not equipped to handle a battery fire and that such an event could endanger the ship and passengers.
Since April 2024, the Greek Shipping Ministry has implemented a regulation for many ferries where EVs and plug-in hybrids are only allowed on board if their battery charge is 40% or lower. This is to reduce the risk of “thermal runaway.”
Alaska Marine Lines recently introduced a ban on EVs and plug-in hybrids on its vessels, citing the lack of specialized firefighting equipment at sea.
BC Ferries (Canada) recently introduced a policy prohibiting non-operational (towed/broken-down) EVs from boarding, due to the inability to verify if the battery has been damaged (which increases fire risk).
Parking garages
In 2024, the UK Parliament banned EVs from its underground parking facilities as a “precautionary measure” following a fire safety assessment.
At various times, small numbers of parking garage operators in Germany (e.g., in Kulmbach or Leonberg) made headlines for banning EVs after local fire incidents. However, many of these bans were later lifted or challenged because modern building codes and fire department equipment have evolved to handle such risks.
Instead of a full ban, many newer garages now require EVs to park in specific “monitored” zones near exits to allow easier access for emergency services.
Hotter, difficult to extinguish
The risk is that lithium-ion battery fires burn much hotter than gasoline fires. And when they are on fire, they release toxic fumes (like hydrogen fluoride) that are dangerous in enclosed spaces. Moreover, an EV battery can appear to be extinguished but reignites hours or even days later, which is particularly dangerous on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
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