An electric taxi caught fire on a road in Busan, causing the driver and passenger to make an emergency evacuation. According to the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, the fire occurred at around 4:48 AM on the 30th in front of an apartment in the Gaegeum-dong area of Busanjin-gu, Busan.
The incident caused a stir, but fortunately, no injuries were reported as a man in his 60s, identified as taxi driver Mr. A, and one passenger quickly exited the vehicle. However, there was property damage estimated at around 40 million KRW, as parts of the 2025 model taxi’s interior were burnt.
Mr. A reportedly stated that he felt a jolt while driving on the road in front of the apartment, and upon inspection, he found a large metal object similar to a leaf spring on the road. Based on the driver’s testimony, the fire authorities suspect that the fire was caused by thermal runaway of the battery due to an external shock. Firefighters used a mobile water tank and a smothering cover to extinguish the fire, taking about an hour to control it.
The police and fire authorities plan to conduct a joint investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.