Jakarta City Council Commission A Member, Mohamad Ongen Sangaji is urging the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency (Gulkarmat) to establish specialized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for dealing with electric vehicle fires.

According to Ongen, current portable fire extinguishers remain ineffective against fires sparked by EV batteries. This poses a significant risk, as such fires can produce toxic fumes that endanger lives.

“If an electric car catches fire, the response is different. Currently, there is no fire extinguisher that can put out a battery fire. It is dangerous because of the potential for toxic emissions,” he expressed, Sunday (4/26).

Sangaji explained that Gulkarmat must take proactive steps now, including finding the right techniques to tackle these fires. With the growing number of EVs in the capital, better preparedness is essential.

He mentioned that the agency has already taken action, including benchmarking trips overseas to study how other countries manage electric vehicle fires.

While Commission A fully backs Gulkarmat’s innovations, he stressed, any new standards must remain in line with national government policies.

“Our push for this in Jakarta is driven by public safety concerns, as the adoption of electric cars grows,” he explained.

Earlier, the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) began 2026 disaster research focused on mitigating risks from new technologies, particularly EV battery fires. It also aims to bolster the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BPBD) operational capacity during disaster response cycles.

By collaborating with academics and various organizations, the research is designed to create evidence-based policies. These findings are intended to support Jakarta’s role as a global city and provide a blueprint for other regions to manage risks in the face of a fast-evolving technological and EV landscape.