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Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common in cities around the world. As the number of EVs grows, parking garages, charging stations, residential communities, shopping centers, and other facilities are also paying greater attention to EV fire preparedness.
A recent electric vehicle fire in a multi-storey parking garage in Singapore highlights why facility operators should consider appropriate emergency response equipment and procedures for vehicle fires.
For parking facilities where vehicles are parked close together, an EV fire blanket can be a useful tool for helping contain flames, heat, and smoke while trained firefighters manage the incident.
On September 24, 2026, an electric vehicle caught fire at a multi-storey car park at Block 16A Marine Terrace in Singapore.
According to local reporting, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident at approximately 11:55 a.m. The vehicle was parked on the third level of the car park, and the fire involved the front compartment of the EV.
Firefighters extinguished the fire using a water jet, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was still under investigation at the time of reporting.
The incident provides another reminder that vehicle fire preparedness is relevant not only to firefighters but also to car park operators, property managers, charging facilities, fleet operators, and other organizations responsible for areas where electric vehicles are regularly parked.
It is important to put EV fire risks into perspective.
According to SCDF’s 2025 annual statistics, Singapore recorded 226 vehicle fires in 2025, of which four involved electric vehicles, representing approximately 1.77% of all vehicle fires recorded that year. SCDF also noted that EV fires remained relatively uncommon.
Therefore, the purpose of discussing EV fire safety is not to suggest that electric vehicles necessarily catch fire more frequently than conventional vehicles.
The challenge is that when a high-voltage lithium-ion battery is involved, the fire can present different hazards and require different response strategies.
One of the main concerns associated with damaged or failing lithium-ion batteries is thermal runaway.
SCDF describes thermal runaway as a condition in which an electrochemical cell generates heat faster than it can dissipate it, resulting in an uncontrolled rise in temperature. This process can potentially cause off-gassing, fire, or explosion. Physical damage and overcharging are among the possible causes.
An EV fire may therefore involve hazards such as:
These characteristics make proper training, emergency procedures, and suitable firefighting equipment particularly important.
A vehicle fire in an open area and a vehicle fire inside a parking structure are very different emergency scenarios.
In a parking garage, cars may be positioned only a short distance apart. Flames and radiant heat from one burning vehicle can therefore threaten surrounding vehicles and property.
Smoke is another major concern.
SCDF’s Fire Code specifically addresses ventilation in multi-storey car parks, including requirements intended to provide effective cross-ventilation and reduce smoke accumulation during a fire.
For operators of parking garages, EV charging stations, commercial buildings, residential developments, and vehicle storage facilities, this makes vehicle fire containment an important part of emergency planning.
An EV fire blanket, also known as a car fire blanket or vehicle fire blanket, is a large, high-temperature-resistant blanket designed to cover a burning vehicle.
Unlike a conventional handheld fire blanket used for small household fires, a vehicle fire blanket is large enough to cover an entire passenger vehicle.
The blanket creates a physical barrier around the vehicle.
Depending on the fire scenario and the product’s specifications, this can help:
For enclosed or densely occupied parking environments, these containment functions can be particularly valuable.
This distinction is important.
An EV fire blanket should not automatically be described as a tool that extinguishes thermal runaway inside an EV battery.
Traditional combustion requires oxygen. Covering a conventional vehicle fire can reduce the oxygen available to the fire and help suppress flames.
However, lithium-ion battery thermal runaway is different. Chemical reactions inside damaged battery cells can continue to generate substantial heat.
Therefore, the primary role of an EV fire blanket in a serious battery fire may be containment and fire-spread control rather than guaranteeing complete extinguishment of the battery fire.
The blanket can help isolate the vehicle and control external flames while firefighters implement appropriate emergency procedures.
This distinction is essential when selecting vehicle fire safety equipment and developing emergency response plans.
Imagine an EV fire occurring between two other vehicles inside a busy multi-storey car park.
The immediate problem is not limited to the burning vehicle.
Facility operators and emergency responders must also consider:
Fire spread: Heat and flames may ignite adjacent vehicles or nearby combustible materials.
Radiant heat: High temperatures can damage nearby vehicles and building components.
Smoke: Large quantities of smoke can quickly affect visibility and evacuation conditions.
Limited access: Structural columns, low ceilings, ramps, and tightly parked vehicles may make firefighting operations more difficult.
A properly designed car fire blanket can provide an additional method of isolating the affected vehicle and limiting some of these secondary effects.
However, it should be considered part of a broader fire safety strategy—not a replacement for professional firefighting equipment, evacuation procedures, sprinkler systems, ventilation systems, alarms, or emergency services.
As EV adoption expands, vehicle fire blankets may be considered for many locations where vehicles are concentrated.
Typical applications include parking garages, EV charging stations, shopping malls, residential car parks, automobile dealerships, repair workshops, vehicle storage facilities, ferry terminals, logistics facilities, fleet depots, tunnels, roadside assistance vehicles, towing companies, and fire and rescue services.
The common factor is the need to contain a vehicle fire and reduce the possibility of fire spreading to surrounding vehicles or infrastructure.
Members of the public should not approach a fully involved EV fire without appropriate training and protective equipment.
SCDF advises people not to attempt to extinguish an EV that is already fully engulfed in fire because thermal runaway may be occurring. Instead, people should move at least 15 metres away from the vehicle and call 995 for assistance.
This is an important point for any organization considering EV fire blankets.
Simply purchasing a fire blanket is not enough.
Organizations should establish appropriate operating procedures, train relevant personnel, determine when a blanket can be deployed safely, coordinate procedures with professional emergency responders, and follow local fire safety regulations.
Not all vehicle fire blankets are the same.
For professional applications, buyers should consider several factors before purchasing:
For distributors and professional buyers, working directly with an experienced car fire blanket manufacturer can also make it easier to customize dimensions, packaging, branding, handles, storage bags, and other specifications.
Electric vehicles will continue to become a larger part of the global transportation system. Fire safety strategies will need to evolve alongside this transition.
The September 2026 EV fire at the Marine Terrace multi-storey car park in Singapore ended without reported injuries, but it provides a useful real-world example of why vehicle fire preparedness remains important.
For parking garages and other facilities containing large numbers of vehicles, the goal is not simply to extinguish a fire. It is also to control the incident, protect surrounding vehicles, reduce fire spread, support evacuation, and give professional firefighters better conditions in which to work.
An appropriately designed EV fire blanket can form one part of that broader fire safety strategy.
EV fires remain relatively uncommon in Singapore, but fires involving high-voltage batteries can present specific firefighting challenges.
For parking garages, charging stations, dealerships, workshops, and fleet facilities, preparing for vehicle fires is therefore an important part of modern fire safety planning.
A car fire blanket cannot replace professional firefighting systems or trained emergency responders. However, when correctly selected and deployed by trained personnel, it can provide an additional means of containing a vehicle fire, limiting fire spread, and protecting the surrounding area.
As EV adoption continues to grow, vehicle fire containment equipment is likely to become an increasingly relevant consideration for facilities where electric vehicles are parked, charged, serviced, or stored.
