VIDEO: EV Catches Fire, Hospitalizes 21, Damages 70 Other Vehicles

A Mercedes-Benz EQE electric sedan exploded in an underground parking lot in Incheon, South Korea, causing a massive fire.

The incident resulted in 21 people being hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries due to toxic fumes, and it damaged 70 other vehicles. CCTV footage from the parking lot showed the EQE emitting white smoke before erupting into flames.

The fire spread quickly to nearby vehicles. The Incheon Fire Department reported that the blaze began around 6:15 am on the first basement floor of the apartment complex. A total of 177 emergency responders and 80 pieces of equipment were deployed, taking 8 hours to extinguish the fire.

The fire forced the evacuation of 209 residents from the complex, which consists of 1,581 apartments in 14 buildings. Among those hospitalized were 20 residents, including seven children, and one firefighter.

A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Korea stated that they are taking the incident seriously and are cooperating with authorities to determine the cause. The police and fire department have launched an investigation, with experts suggesting a possible battery malfunction due to a prior collision. The EQE sedan uses a 90.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack from CATL.

The fire generated significant black smoke and led to 197 emergency calls to the fire department. Further details about the exact model and the cause of the fire are yet to be confirmed by Mercedes-Benz.

This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.

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