Electric vehicles have presented firefighters with "a new challenge" when they have become waterlogged and caught on fire. According to one official, it presents something the firefighters "haven't faced before.
“There’s a ton of EVs disabled from Ian. As those batteries corrode, fires start. That’s a new challenge that our firefighters haven’t faced before. At least on this kind of scale,” Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s chief financial officer and state fire marshal, tweeted this week.
The tweet is accompanied by a video of firefighters putting out a Tesla that is on fire. Someone in the video can be heard saying they have used “1,500 gallons of water on this, and it’s still going.”
There’s a ton of EVs disabled from Ian. As those batteries corrode, fires start. That’s a new challenge that our firefighters haven’t faced before. At least on this kind of scale. #HurricaneIan pic.twitter.com/WsErgA6evO
— Jimmy Patronis (@JimmyPatronis) October 6, 2022
“Right now they’re going to try to get in there and cool it down as best they can,” a woman can be heard explaining during the third video. “Electric vehicles will continue to burn in the water.”
North Collier Fire Rescue District in Naples, Florida, also shared video footage to social media of their firefighters dowsing the Teslas in water and unable to extinguish the fire.
“This is an issue many fire departments across [southwest] Florida are experiencing right now,” North Collier Fire Rescue District said in the Facebook post. “These vehicles have been submerged in salt water; they have extensive damage and can potentially be serious fire hazards.”
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is focused on climate change.
