‘Catastrophic’ fire fears fail to switch off Brisbane apartment block’s EV charger

A luxury Brisbane apartment block has become the latest frontline in the EV wars, with one resident trying to have a neighbour’s charger switched off amid fears a battery fire would be “catastrophic”. But in a fresh body corporate blow-up in the blue-chip suburb of Bulimba, the bid to have the charger de-energised has failed — at least for now. A Queensland adjudicator rejected an urgent application to stop the use of the charger at The Pavilion Apartments, a 93-lot complex, despite claims the basement car park lacked the fire safety systems needed to deal with an EV blaze. The resident behind the challenge, lot owner Kin Chen, argued the charger was being used daily in an enclosed basement without the recommended fire detection, hydrants and automatic shut-off systems. “The main thrust of his argument is that the scheme’s basement carpark does not have suitable fire safety suppression systems to deal with a possible EV fire,” Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management (BCCM) adjudicator T Hendry said in the ruling. “He says such a fire would be catastrophic.” MORE: Neighbour demand wipes out Aus council Loser’: Vigilante targets cars in Aus parking feud...