High Voltage High Stakes: Understanding EV Fire Investigation

Stephen Elliott on vehicle fire investigation, EV training, and the future of the field. Season two opens with host Vithyaa Thapapalin speaking with Stephen Elliott, Senior Forensic Investigator with EFI Global UK and a specialist in vehicle fire investigation. Stephen brings over two decades of operational forensic experience across the Royal Engineers, fire service, and investigation work, including more than 850 fire investigations and evidence in Coroner’s Court and Crown Court. In this episode, they focus on the rapid evolution of electric and hybrid vehicle fires, why investigator training is lagging behind the technology, and how experience, engineering knowledge, and humility are essential in a field where no one can know everything. Takeaways - Specialist, not expert - Stephen argues that because technology changes so quickly, investigators should focus on a clearly defined specialty rather than claiming mastery over everything. <!--THE END--> - Reverse engineering approach - For EV fire work, he recommends understanding how the vehicle is built and serviced before trying to determine how it failed. <!--THE END--> - Training before touching - His core safety message is that investigators should get qualified and trained before working on high-voltage systems. Relevant Links: Stephen Elliot [⁠Forensic Origin and Cause Investigations⁠](www.originandcause.com.au) ⁠Vithyaa Thavapalan⁠ What The Fire Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn