A battery module, which includes: a first bus bar electrically connected to a first electrode lead of a first battery cell; a second bus bar electrically connected to a second electrode lead of a second battery cell; a short-circuit unit configured to move toward the first bus bar and the second bus bar by receiving an expansive force due to a volume increase of the first battery cell and another battery cell adjacent to the first battery cell so that the first bus bar and the second bus bar are electrically connected to generate a short circuit; and a cartridge configured to accommodate or support at least a portion of the first electrode lead, the second electrode lead, the first bus bar, the second bus bar and the short-circuit unit.