NONTHABURI, Thailand – An MG electric vehicle burst into flames while parked outside a home in Nonthaburi on August 5, damaging the car and a nearby pickup truck. Police at Chaiyapruek Police Station were alerted at around noon after the white MG MS5 electric vehicle caught fire in front of a house in Arisara Place Village, Khlong Khoi subdistrict, Pak Kret district.
Neighbors attempted to control the blaze using fire extinguishers, but loud explosions were heard as flames spread rapidly. Firefighters arrived and used water to contain the fire after about 20 minutes. The MG was almost completely destroyed, except for the engine compartment area. A nearby Isuzu Hi-Lander pickup truck parked alongside also suffered damage to the front hood, door, bumper and driver-side mirror.
The MG owner, 42-year-old Chalermsak Suthi, said he had driven the vehicle to charge the battery before returning home and parking it outside. He then went for a jog and returned less than an hour later to find smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. He said he tried to locate the source of the smoke, but within less than a minute the vehicle exploded and flames quickly engulfed the car.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Chalermsak said the vehicle was purchased new nearly two years ago and had shown no previous problems. He added that he usually charged the car at external charging stations and never charged it at home. The owner said he hoped the vehicle manufacturer would take responsibility for the damages caused by the incident.
