EV charging station fire caused by remote technician, report finds
A fire at an EV charging station in New Westminster was caused by a remote technician in the U.S. who left the charger in diagnostic mode for an extended period. This led to the battery overheating and ultimately igniting. Following the incident, safety protocols and software updates have been implemented to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
- ▪The fire occurred last October and destroyed the charger, damaged nearby trees, a streetlight, and an adjacent vehicle.
- ▪The technician failed to return the charger to operational mode after conducting remote diagnostics, allowing the battery to overheat.
- ▪The charger reached a critical temperature of 82°C before igniting, with safety alerts silenced during the incident.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
EV charger fire in New West caused by a remote technician in the U.S. The cause of a fire on an electric vehicle charger has been determined. (Technical Safety BC) By Raynee Novak Posted May 15, 2026 8:49 pm. Last Updated May 15, 2026 9:08 pm. An electric vehicle (EV) charging station in New Westminster caught on fire last October, resulting in destroying the charger, damaging the surrounding trees, a streetlight, and a vehicle charging at the adjacent charger. The charger was not in use when it overheated and burst into flames.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at CityNews Vancouver.
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