Can a Fire Blanket handle Thermal Runaway?
Yes – a Fire Blanket can handle Thermal Runaway — but not on its own. It can control and contain the effects of a Thermal Runaway event, limiting the spread of flames, heat, and smoke. However, in our experience (and live tests done by Fire Isolator) a Fire Blanket does not stop the chemical chain reaction happening inside the battery. We firmly believe that the most effective approach to actually stop Thermal Runaway is to use a high-temperature resistant EV Fire Blanket in combination with Aerosol suppression (Aerosol Units), Watermist cooling and an EV Fire Gun to penetrate the battery and cool it from within as soon as it is safe to do that.
Understanding Thermal Runaway and Battery Fires
Thermal Runaway is a dangerous and self-accelerating process that can occur in lithium-ion batteries, especially in electric vehicles (EVs). When a single cell fails due to impact, manufacturing defects, or excessive heat, it can trigger neighboring cells, causing temperatures and pressure to rise rapidly. This leads to the release of flammable gases that can ignite and create an intense, persistent fire.
Unlike conventional car fires, an EV fire cannot simply be extinguished with water. It’s comparable to putting water on the roof of a house while the fire is burning in the kitchen – it simply doesn’t work. Once Thermal Runaway begins, the process continues internally, even if the flames are temporarily suppressed. That’s why the focus should be on control and containment, rather than immediate extinguishment.
A high-quality Fire Blanket helps create that control. By covering the vehicle, it isolates the fire from oxygen, prevents flame spread, and reduces collateral damage. Still, while it keeps the situation under control, it doesn’t end the chemical reaction inside the battery cells — which is where supporting tools come in.
The Role of the Fire Blanket in the Fire Isolator Concept
The Fire Isolator Concept combines multiple Fire Fighting tools designed to work together for the most effective response to EV fires:
- The Fire Isolator EV Fire Blanket contains the flames and heat. It is tested up to 1600°C and certified according to ISO EN 13501-1 and NFPA 701, ensuring it performs even in extreme situations. Our Ultimate and Economy blankets are made of a ‘breathing’ type of woven silica (97%) that allows vapors to escape through the blanket. This drastically decreases the chances of any deflagration or explosion under the blanket.
- Aerosol Units are deployed under the blanket to suppress the flames by interrupting the combustion process, reducing the temperature and slowing the chemical reaction.
- Watermist is applied underbody (to cool the battery pack from below) or over the blanket to cool down car and minimize toxic fumes and smoke emissions.
Additional tools are available too, such as our Thermal Imaging Camera to monitor the heat of the fire and our EV FireGun, to penetrate and flush the battery compartment with water.
Lessons Learned from the Field
In our own experience, using a Fire Blanket alone can help stabilize an electric vehicle fire. However, we have also experienced first-hand that combining it with Aerosol suppression and watermist provides far better results. It is in face the goal of Fire Isolator as a concept and is the very reason we launched it unto the market in 2020. The integrated approach significantly reduces temperatures, limits smoke, and prevents the risk of reignition. It gives emergency teams more time to act safely and ensures that the situation remains under control until the vehicle can be fully secured.
At Fire Isolator, we have seen that this balanced, multi-layered method is the most reliable way to handle the complex nature of Thermal Runaway fires in electric vehicles — protecting people, property, and the environment.
Take a look at our live tests here to see for yourself!