SEOUL, Oct 5 — Dozens of residents were forced to leave their homes this morning after a fire broke out in a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle (EV) parked in the underground garage of an apartment complex in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, about 30km south of Seoul.

The blaze reportedly began at around 8:04am on the first basement level of the 15-storey building in Gwonseon District, which houses roughly 1,800 households, according to reports by Korea JoongAng Daily.

The fire, which started in the parked vehicle, quickly spread to two other nearby cars. 

Gyeonggi firefighters responded swiftly, dispatching 19 fire trucks and 57 personnel to the scene. 

The blaze was partially contained using a fire blanket by 8:43am and was fully extinguished by 10:16am.

An apartment employee suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital, while dozens of residents were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. 

Firefighters later moved the charred vehicle outdoors and continued cooling operations to prevent any risk of reignition.

Authorities said the Mercedes was reportedly charging at the time of the fire, but the precise cause — whether linked to the battery or electrical wiring — remains under investigation.

The Suwon incident is not the first involving Mercedes-Benz EVs in South Korea. 

In August 2024, an unplugged Mercedes EQE sedan caught fire in an underground parking garage in Incheon, destroying over 140 vehicles and forcing more than 200 families to evacuate. 

The blaze prompted investigations into battery suppliers and safety protocols, and led authorities to consider stricter fire safety regulations for EVs, including mandatory disclosure of battery manufacturers.