Quick Answer: Car fire blankets can help contain EV fires and protect nearby vehicles and charging equipment, but they cannot stop battery thermal runaway. They should be used only by trained personnel as part of a broader fire safety strategy that includes water cooling and emergency protocols.
Why Charging Stations Face Unique Fire Risks
EV charging stations present a fire risk profile that differs significantly from traditional parking facilities. Vehicles are densely packed, often in confined or semi-confined spaces, and charging itself is a high-risk activity.
Research indicates that a substantial proportion of EV fires occur during or shortly after charging sessions. When a lithium-ion battery enters thermal runaway, the fire behaves unlike a conventional vehicle fire: it produces its own oxygen, burns at extreme temperatures exceeding 1,500°C, and can reignite hours or even days later.
For charging station operators, the implications are serious. A single vehicle fire can rapidly spread to adjacent vehicles and charging infrastructure, turning a localized incident into a multi-vehicle disaster.
What Car Fire Blankets Actually Do
Car fire blankets are large, fire-resistant covers — typically made from fiberglass or silicone-coated materials — designed to be deployed over a burning vehicle. Their primary functions include:
1. Suppressing visible flames through oxygen deprivation. By covering the vehicle, the blanket cuts off oxygen to the fire, effectively smothering open flames.
2. Containing fire and smoke. The blanket acts as a physical barrier, reducing the risk of flames spreading to adjacent vehicles or structures. This is particularly valuable in dense charging station layouts.
3. Lowering surrounding temperatures. By containing the fire, blankets help prevent heat transfer that could ignite nearby vehicles.
A real-world example demonstrates their value: in a Beijing hospital parking lot, a car fire was brought under control within five minutes using a fiberglass fire blanket, preventing spread to surrounding vehicles.
The Critical Limitation: Battery Thermal Runaway
This is where operators must set realistic expectations. Fire blankets cannot stop battery thermal runaway.
Lithium-ion batteries contain both fuel and oxygen within their cells. When thermal runaway occurs, the chemical reaction is self-sustaining and does not require external oxygen. This fundamentally undermines the smothering principle that makes blankets effective against conventional fires.
Research from UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and the NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation (FPRF) confirms this limitation. Their joint testing found that while blankets suppress visible flames, thermal runaway continues beneath the blanket, releasing flammable gases including hydrogen. These gases can accumulate in the oxygen-depleted space beneath the cover. If air is reintroduced — through blanket movement, venting, or lifting — the gas mixture can ignite or explode, creating a serious hazard for personnel nearby.
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has issued an explicit safety advisory recommending that firefighters not deploy fire blankets on EV fires involving the battery.
Operational Recommendations for Charging Station Operators
Given these findings, how should charging station operators approach fire blankets?
1. Position them as a containment tool, not a suppression solution
Fire blankets should be viewed as one component of a layered fire safety strategy. Their role is to buy time — containing flames and limiting spread until professional fire services arrive — rather than to extinguish battery fires.
2. Restrict deployment to trained personnel
Fire blankets designed for vehicles are large (often 6×8 meters) and heavy (20 kg or more), requiring at least two people to deploy safely. Operators should ensure that any staff expected to use these blankets receive proper training, including instruction on the risks of gas accumulation and the importance of not lifting the blanket once deployed.
3. Pair blankets with water-based cooling
Research consistently shows that water remains the most effective agent for cooling lithium-ion batteries and limiting thermal runaway propagation. Fire blankets should complement, not replace, water-based suppression systems. Operators should ensure adequate water supply and hose access at charging sites.
4. Integrate with detection and emergency systems
Blankets work best when deployed early. Charging stations should be equipped with fire detection systems — such as smoke or flame detectors — that provide early warning, enabling rapid response before a fire escalates. Automatic power cutoff systems should also be installed to de-energize charging equipment during a fire event.
Regulatory Context
Standards for EV charging station fire safety are evolving. In China, the technical specification T/CFPA 051-2026 (effective May 2026) addresses fire safety requirements for EV charging and swap stations. Existing regulations generally require fire detection, alarm systems, and appropriate extinguishing equipment at charging facilities.
While fire blankets are not yet universally mandated, their inclusion in fire safety planning is increasingly considered a best practice for high-risk charging environments.
Key Takeaways
| Aspect | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Can suppress visible flames | Yes, through oxygen deprivation |
| Can stop battery thermal runaway | No — chemical reaction is self-sustaining |
| Can limit fire spread | Yes, by containing flames and reducing heat transfer |
| Explosion risk if improperly used | Yes — flammable gas accumulation beneath blanket |
| Who should deploy | Trained personnel only |
| Best use case | Early-stage containment to buy time for professional response |
Conclusion
Car fire blankets represent a useful tool in the charging station operator’s fire safety toolkit — but not a miracle solution. They can contain flames, protect adjacent vehicles, and reduce the immediate spread of fire. They cannot, however, extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire at its source.
The most effective approach for charging station operators is layered defense: early detection, rapid response by trained personnel, fire blankets for containment where appropriate, and abundant water cooling to address the underlying thermal event. Operators should also maintain close coordination with local fire services and ensure that their emergency protocols reflect the unique characteristics of EV battery fires.
