Tourists escape dramatically: Flaming Mercedes in Hua Hin!

Tourists escape dramatically: Flaming Mercedes in Hua Hin!

A shocking incident occurred on October 23, 2025 in Hua Hin: two American tourists barely escaped a burning Mercedes-Benz GLC43. The vehicle, which had license plates from Phetchaburi, showed smoke under the hood after about 30 minutes of driving from Cha-am to Hua Hin. Alarmed by the rising smoke, the driver stopped the car near a Bangchak gas station and both occupants were able to jump just in time before flames burst from the engine compartment. The driver's impressive handling and the quick reaction of a gas station employee who tried to fight the fire with an extinguisher deserve special recognition. However, the employee soon had to give up due to the intense heat.

Firefighters were quickly on the scene and battled the flames for 30 minutes, while there was a risk that the fire could spread to the gas station pumps. Ultimately, the fire was extinguished, but the total damage is estimated at over 3 million baht, or around 75,000 euros. Initial investigations indicate that an electrical defect is a possible cause of the fire, while intentional arson has been ruled out. To further clarify the cause, Mercedes-Benz Thailand and independent experts are called in. Wochenblitz reports that the authorities praised the quick actions of the driver and the gas station employee.

A look at electric vehicles and their fire risks

The Hua Hin incident sheds light on the general risks of electric vehicles, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. The causes of fires in electric cars are varied and can be caused by mechanical damage to the battery, production errors or age-related changes in the battery cells. In particular, serious accidents can damage the protective shell of the lithium-ion cells, which can subsequently lead to a phenomenon called “thermal runaway”. The cells heat each other up and set off a chain reaction.

The discussion about electric car fires is not new. More than 100 residents had to be evacuated after a Mercedes EQE caught fire in Incheon, South Korea. This has led to increasing skepticism about electric vehicles in South Korea. Here the government asked car manufacturers to disclose their cell suppliers. InsideEVs listed manufacturers such as Mercedes, BMW, Hyundai and Kia that use different cell suppliers to minimize potential safety risks.

The issues surrounding fire risks are not only a safety issue, but also a market factor. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the safety of electric vehicles, especially after several incidents that were widely reported in the media. If these concerns worsen, trust in the technology could suffer.

Overall, it remains to be seen what the investigations in Hua Hin will reveal and what measures will be taken by car manufacturers such as Mercedes to prevent such incidents in the future. The development of improved thermal management systems and quality assurance measures is therefore even more important. AutoScout24 emphasizes that despite strict quality controls, production errors cannot be ruled out, which highlights the challenges in this rapidly developing sector.