WOW: Tesla Fire Takes Firefighters Twice as Long as Normal Vehicle Fire to Put Out, Turns Car into Unrecognizable Hunk of Metal

Another Tesla recently burst into flames and highlighted the danger of a lithium ion battery, this one in Pennsylvania. Apparently, the vehicle was traveling down 1-80 when a piece of debris in the middle of the road got caught under the car.

It then started smoking and the family and their dog were, fortunately, able to escape and get away from the car before the blaze began.

But when it began it burned bright and hot, lasting for two hours as fire crews battled to put it out and required multiple water tankers worth of water to extinguish the blaze and keep the battery from reigniting.

Morris Township Volunteer Fire Company #1, reporting on what happened in a Facebook post, said:

“TESLA FIRE”

At approximately 1055 am, Clearfield County 911/Emergency Management Agency alerted the Morris Twp Fire Company to assist the Winburne Fire Company with a working vehicle fire on Interstate 80 at the 137 mm. Also due on the box was the Grassflat Volunteer Fire Company.

As Engine Tanker 17 and Engine Tanker 19 arrived on scene it was quickly disovered that this was not your typical vehicle fire as crews quickly utilized just over 4,000 gallons of water. In total approximately 12,000 gallons of water was utilzed. To give you an idea of the severity, crews can normally extinguish a fully involved vehicle fire with approximately 500 gallons or less

Due to the lithium ion battery on the vehicle, extinguishing this fire would require additional tankers as the vehicle would continue to reignite and burn fierce at times. In total it took crews nearly two hours of continually applying water on the vehicle as the battery would begin to reignite and hold high temperatures.
This vehicle burnt so hot and long that if it was not for the rims you might not even of know it was a vehicle.

The Columbia Volunteer Fire Company commented on the fire as well, saying:

TESLA FIRE

Tanker 22 was dispatched to assist the Morris Township Volunteer Fire Company #1 and Grassflat Volunteer Fire Company with a working vehicle fire at Mile Marker 137 on Interstate 80 Westbound in Cooper Township. Initial reports of a Tesla (electric vehicle) fully involved. Multiple tanker trucks were requested to keep the batteries cool after the fire was extinguished. A large amount of water is needed for this type of fire, to ensure the batteries stay cool and do not reignite. Crews worked until Bigler Boyz removed the vehicle from the roadway.

This is the first known Tesla Fire in this area to our knowledge. Training and pre planning for an incident like this is key. Today that knowledge was put to the task, and the incident operated smoothly. Was a great learning experience for all, especially as the car industry progresses as we see it today.

So Teslas might be cool, but you better hope yours doesn’t catch on fire and burn down to its rims.

By: TheAmericanTribune.com, editor of TheAmericanTribune.com. Follow me on Facebook and Subscribe to My Email List