Electrical Vehicle Charger Bursts into Flames While in Diagnostic Mode at Charging Station

Location: New Westminster

Regulated industry sector: Electrical

Incident overview

An electrical fire occurred at a retail charging station in New Westminster, when an EV charger that was not in use burst into flames. The fire released toxic emissions and caused extensive damage to nearby equipment and property. A neighboring fast-food restaurant also had to be evacuated.  

Our investigation revealed that the fire was caused during a remote diagnostics check. A technician working remotely from California had placed the charger in diagnostic mode, which overrides safety controls, and accidentally turned on the battery heater.  

As a result, the battery reached a critical temperature and entered thermal runaway, leading to the fire. The charger had been in good condition prior to the incident with no history of issues