Denderbelle (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Fire Zone East in East Flanders used the Cobra system for the first time to quickly and safely extinguish a hybrid car fire in Denderbelle, said commander Wouter Van den Brock.
As VRT News reported, for the first time in East Flanders, the fire brigade zone East has deployed the Cobra extinguishing system to put out a fire involving a hybrid vehicle. The incident occurred on the Hoogstraat in Denderbelle, a village in the municipality of Lebbeke, Belgium, where a hybrid car caught fire while it was connected to a charging station.
According to the officials, when electric or hybrid vehicles catch fire, emergency services resort to immersing the entire vehicle in a large container of water for up to 2 days to prevent reignition caused by thermal runaway in the battery pack. However, this method is time-consuming, requires significant resources, and poses logistical challenges.
They mentioned that in this case, firefighters used the Cobra system, which operates with extremely high water pressure to pierce through solid materials like steel or concrete. Once inside, it releases water that cools and suppresses the fire effectively, even in hard-to-reach areas.
What does the first use of the Cobra system in East Flanders show?
The Cobra system was first brought to Belgium in 2022, but it had never been used in East Flanders until now. Zone commander Wouter Van den Brock said that the biggest benefit of the Cobra system is how fast it works. In this case, the fire was put out in just half an hour. He mentioned that this system is a big step forward in how firefighters handle fires in modern cars that have electric systems and batteries.
According to officials, Fire Zone East has not only used the Cobra system for its fires but has also shared it with nearby fire zones that needed help. The feedback from those zones has been very positive. Even with its clear benefits, East is still the only fire zone in East Flanders that owns and often uses the Cobra system.
Fire Zone East handles fire and emergency calls in the towns of Berlare, Buggenhout, Dendermonde, Hamme, Lebbeke, Lokeren, Moerbeke, Wichelen, and Zele. The team includes about 390 firefighters, and most of them work as volunteers.
Officials mentioned that, because so many firefighters are volunteers, having a smart and safe tool like the Cobra system is very useful. It helps protect people in the community and also makes the work safer for the firefighters who risk their lives in every emergency.
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