EV Charger in Ghaziabad Catches Fire, Triggers AC Blast; Battery Not Involved as per Officials

An electric vehicle charger at an apartment complex in Ghaziabad caught fire and caused an air-conditioner blast, but initial reports show the EV battery was not to blame. Insurance experts say the incident is likely covered as an accidental fire.

A charging unit for an electric vehicle caught fire on January 21, 2026, at a residential complex in Ghaziabad, triggering a nearby air-conditioner blast and raising fresh questions about EV charging safety.

According to police and fire officials, the blaze started at an EV charging point inside the complex when a suspected electrical fault caused the charger unit to overheat and ignite. Flames spread to an adjacent outdoor split air-conditioner unit, leading to a secondary explosion. Firefighters took nearly 45 minutes to douse the flames, authorities said. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Importantly, early reports indicate that the electric vehicle connected to the charger did not catch fire, and there is no indication that the EV’s battery pack was involved in the incident.

Officials told The Times of India that the fire appeared to originate from the charging infrastructure, rather than the vehicle’s energy storage system. The remains of the charger and associated wiring are being examined to determine the exact sequence of events.

Insurance and Liability Context

Insurance experts say incidents such as this are typically classified as accidental fires linked to electrical equipment failure and are not uncommon in residential settings with older wiring or overloaded circuits. In such cases:

Homeowners’ insurance policies or property insurance carried by residential societies usually cover accidental fire damage to communal infrastructure.

Electric vehicle damage that occurs as a consequence of an accidental fire — not due to vehicle defect — is generally covered under standard EV comprehensive policies, provided the policy is active and premiums are up to date.

Coverage often extends to nearby appliances and structural damage caused by related blasts or secondary fires.

Given that the initial cause has been attributed to the charging unit, insurers will likely treat this as a charging infrastructure failure, which falls under typical property and equipment fire coverage.

Different From Earlier EV Fire Incidents

This episode differs from other high-profile EV fire reports in two key ways:

Origin was the charger, not the battery pack – Investigators and police are focusing on the electrical fault in the charging infrastructure.

Vehicle was not the source – No evidence points to the EV’s battery or motor malfunctioning or sustaining fire damage.

In contrast, previous incidents (including one ElecTree reported earlier this month) involved vehicles on the move where tyre or mechanical heat buildup was the likely ignition source — not an external charger fire.

Safety, Warnings and Public Perception

Fire officials and electrical safety experts emphasise that safe EV adoption depends on both the vehicles and the charging ecosystem:

EVs themselves are equipped with multiple layers of battery management and thermal protection systems.

Charging infrastructure, especially in residential complexes, must meet electrical code and load distribution standards to prevent overloads and hotspots.

Regular maintenance and timely upgrades of wiring, distribution boards and earthing systems are critical to prevent electrical faults.

Residents in the complex reported hearing a loud sound at the time of the AC blast and seeing thick smoke, but no serious injuries were reported.

Bottom Line

Preliminary investigations into the Ghaziabad EV charger fire indicate an electrical fault at the charging station — not the electric vehicle’s battery — as the root cause. Insurance specialists say the incident is likely to be treated as an accidental infrastructure fire and may be covered under common property and EV comprehensive policies.

Authorities continue to examine the charging hardware to determine the precise failure mechanism. We will update this story as more verified information becomes available.