Installation of EV chargers must follow fire dept guidelines

KUALA LUMPUR: Those installing electric vehicle (EV) chargers must follow guidelines set by the Fire and Rescue Department to ensure optimal fire safety.

Acting KL department director Rozihan Anwar Mamat said that this is crucial to ensure safety and reduce the risk of fires.

"Any new installation will go through Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL). The Fire Department will then provide guidance and recommendations according to the suitability of the installation, whether at commercial, office or private premises," he said today.

For EV chargers that have already been installed, he said the department would conduct enforcement operations or educate owners about fire safety.

Rozihan Anwar also said that fires involving EVs usually involve the lithium batteries.

However, he said that until today, there is nothing yet that can be used to put out lithium battery fires quickly.

"We can only smother the fire (using water) until it is extinguished, but to put it out quickly, there is no method yet. Even though it appears to be extinguished, it can re-ignite. The nature of lithium is such that the fire can re-ignite even after it has been put out," he said.