Teacher in Panic as Electric Car Catches Fire After Smoke Billows From Air Vent; Locals Rush to Help With Fire Extinguisher

A female teacher was startled when smoke suddenly poured from the air conditioning vent of her electric vehicle as she pulled up in front of a school calling for security assistance. Flames soon erupted from inside the smoke-filled car. Local residents quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher to spray the flames.

At 2:00 PM on May 6, 2025, Lieutenant Khrongsakdi Phonsri Sarawat from Ubon Ratchathani City Police Station received a report of an electric vehicle fire at the entrance to Pattanaudorn Developing Higher Education Preparatory School in Ubon Ratchathani province. Emergency responders and good Samaritans extinguished the fire with water before officers arrived to investigate.

Upon arrival, they found a blue electric car registered in Ubon Ratchathani province with burn marks on the left front section. The teacher owner, visibly shaken, explained she was dropping off a friend at school before heading home when smoke suddenly erupted from the air vent, prompting her to stop and call for help. Moments later, flames shot out from under the front hood. Witnesses brought a chemical fire extinguisher and water to help douse the flames before the fire truck arrived.

"This electric vehicle was purchased about three years ago and has approximately 70,000 kilometers on it. About a week before the fire, I had the battery serviced at an authorized center. Before the incident, the car was having difficulty starting, but I'm not sure what caused the fire to break out."

Preliminary investigation suggests an electrical short circuit inside the vehicle. Authorities plan to conduct a more detailed inspection to determine the definitive cause.