By C. Douglas Golden – The Western Journal
A car accident on Christmas Day caused a fire that required four tankers, over 10 rescue organizations and 36,000 of gallons of water to put out.
The catch? Not a single drop of gasoline was involved.
According to WIAT-TV, authorities in Pine Level, Alabama had such trouble putting out a fire caused by a Tesla accident on Interstate 65.
The department said in a statement that they were dispatched to the single-vehicle accident at 11:14 p.m. on Dec. 25.
“911 advised our units that an electric vehicle was involved. Assistance was immediately requested from Marbury, Booth, Independence, White City, Old Kingston, and Verbena Fire Departments, along with Haynes Ambulance, ALEA, Autauga Co EMA, ALDOT, and Autauga Co Sheriff’s Office,” the statement read.
“When the first engine arrived, they found a Tesla Model Y automobile fully involved in fire,” the statement continued.
“It was determined the driver of the vehicle was uninjured and had escaped the vehicle before the fire department arrived.”
Thanks to a process known as “thermal runaway,” which causes lithium ion batteries to reach incredible temperatures, 36,000 gallons were needed to put the fire out.
A normal fire in an internal-combustion car only takes 500 gallons.
“This was a first for Autauga County. Electric vehicle fires are unusual and present unique challenges and dangers to firefighters,” the statement from Pine Level Fire Department read.
“These vehicles can reignite hours or days after they are first extinguished. They burn at temperatures exceeding 2500 degrees C. The smoke from these burning electric cars produces Hydrogen Flouride and Hydrogen Chloride gases – both of which are toxic to breath and requires firefighters to wear breathing apparatus.”
The driver “was taken into police custody,” as per the news release.
According to a CNBC report from January of 2022, while electric vehicle fires don’t happen often, they’re much more dangerous because of the threat of thermal runaway.
“Chas McGarvey, the Chief Fire Officer of Pennsylvania’s Lower Merion Fire Department, told CNBC that one Tesla Model S Plaid fire his department handled in 2021 burned so hot that it melted the roadway beneath it,” the report read.
“We’re still trying to catch up with all this stuff. But it changes almost every day!” McGarvey said.
What’s worse is that authorities often don’t have the training to put the fires out.
“A lot of the time fire fighters and fire agencies are just expected to kind of figure it out,” said Emma Sutcliffe of EV FireSafe, an Australian organization.
CNBC reported that “Tesla recently announced it’s switching from lithium ion battery cells to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Other major automakers including Ford, and VW are also substituting LFPs for nickel or cobalt formulations used in some of their electric vehicles.”
Even if this were to happen tomorrow, though — and it won’t — that still means over 2.4 million EVs on the road that pose a grave fire risk.
Thus, while this may have been “a first for Autauga County,” odds are this won’t be the last time they’ll have to deal with an EV fire that they’re not necessarily prepared to tackle. And they’re hardly alone. That should scare drivers from coast-to-coast.