The fire and rescue department (Bomba) has reminded electric vehicle (EV) users to ensure that the domestic EV chargers they install in their homes are sourced from approved suppliers and comply with established safety standards, The Star reports.
The department’s director-general Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad said that charging equipment should come from suppliers recognised by the energy commission (ST) and meet specific standards to ensure safety. He said the installation of chargers must comply with MS IEC 61851 and MS IEC 62196 standards, and adherence to these standards, as regulated by the commission, are met.
The reminder follows a recennt incident in which two EVs parked side-by-side in a car porch in Petaling Jaya caught fire and were gutted, damaging about 10% of the house as a result. The fire was successfully extinguished with water, and no injuries were reported.
Nor Hisham said that based on preliminary findings, the vehicles were not being charged at the time of the fire. He added that despite speculation blaming the charger or ongoing charging, the fire occurred hours after charging had concluded.
As for suitable guidelines, he said that current regulations remain focused mainly on public charging, and that any proposals for broader legal protections for EV chargers beyond that scope would need to be submitted under the National EV Steering Committee (JKK Pemandu) framework within the ministry of investment, trade and industry (MITI).
Meanwhile, Malaysia Electric Vehicle Owners Club (MyEVOC) president Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi said the association has been actively engaging with the ST and Tenaga Nasional (TNB) as well as certified charging installation specialists to ensure that home charging is safe and accessible.
“Following these engagement sessions, both the commission and TNB have issued guidelines for home charger installations,” he said, urging EV owners to engage certified, professional installers and follow their recommendations carefully. “Companies and individuals listed as ‘competent persons’ by the commission can provide suitable recommendations on equipment and available power,” he explained.
He also recommended that EV owners install smoke detectors near their domestic charging points and perform regular inspections, noting that wire connections can loosen over time, increasing the risk of overheating. He said that proper installation, monitoring and regular maintenance of equipment was the key to preventing accidents.
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It’s good the bomba came out with an official statement. Too many cybertrooper out there with skewed information regarding the fire. Tiba-tiba banyak pakar kebakaran, electrician, engineer, insurer, etc.
More likely that it was “Bad” workmanship rather than equipment. So is Bomba checking “Qualified Technician” and “substandard wiring” ??
already no brain buy EV… of course no brain how to charge at home.. burn burn burn….
The AC charger for and EV is not in your wall box. it is inside the car. The wallbox is only a power outlet. Only DC fast charger is not inside the car!
Standby for increase in premium for EVs.
Must be cockroach problem munching the wiring harnesses
Agreed with Bomba advisory. But what about the fire mentioned. What cause the fire? Vehicle battery got reliability issues? Which car started the fire?
I m more concerned about the root cause of this fire? Is our EV a time bomb?
Fact is ICE catch fire disproportionately more than EVs. It’s just that they are not forwarded in WhatsApp groups and discussed on PT
Google “malaysia ice car fire vs ev” and read up
havent heard of any ICE car caught fire while parked at home and risk burning down house
If the EV catches fire, its the EV on board charger or battery problem. If the problem is the charger, the charger itself will catch fire.
However people trying to defend and divert the root cause to other than EV itself, you cannot deny charging an EV carry a higher risk of fire. This is why Bomba have strict guideline on how and where to install a charger and also fire fighting equipment like fire blanket for EV.
“Use only approved suppliers for chargers, ensure they comply with safety standards, Bomba tells EV owners”
I totally agree with Bomba’s advice
I however question the title of this report!!
Who has the onus to ensure that the supplier complies with all the safety standards?
Is the owner of the EV?
Is it the supplier itself?
Is it Bomba?
How would the EV owner know what standards the supplier should comply with?
Does the owner have the technical capability to check and ensure the supplier is following the correct method and correct materials?
You said that you agreed with Bomba’s advice, but you question the title of this news article. How can that be when the title is the summary of Bomba’s advice which you already agreed with?
This article mentions that the DG of Jabatan Bomba has implied that Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) is the regulatory body which is responsible for listing out the qualified EV charging equiment suppliers who meet the required installation standards. This article also mentions that an EV owners club understands the need to refer to ST and also TNB in order to ensure that home EV chargers are competently installed by certified specialists.
Obviously, you didn’t properly read this article, causing you to ask redundant questions.
charger has sirim sticker thats good enough confirm 101% safe. but if the charger causes fire then can we sue sirim, no wait we cant
Install a smart heat detector near the charger so that you know when the charger is about to catch fire.