TESLA CAR FIRE INVOLVED BATTERY

AP ^ | Oct 02, 2013 | MIKE BAKER AND TOM KRISHER

[Jet Jaguar]

Flames that engulfed the front end of a Tesla electric car near Seattle also burned in the vehicle's battery pack, making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish the blaze, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

In an incident report released under Washington state's public records law, firefighters wrote that they appeared to have Tuesday's fire under control, but the flames reignited. Crews found that water seemed to intensify the fire, so they began using a dry chemical extinguisher.

After dismantling the front end of the vehicle and puncturing holes in the battery pack, crews used a circular saw to cut an access hole in the front section in order to apply water to the battery, according to documents. Only then was the fire extinguished.

[nascarnation]

Well all the former employees might quibble, but yes there are 8 for sale on eBay.

[DaxtonBrown]

It’s just a Lithium fire. Need more water.

[txrefugee]

My, that would be exciting....particularly after paying way too much for that basic transportation.

[nascarnation]

Tesla is also run by Elon Musk who has a tight connection to the Baraqqi regime.

[Kirkwood]

They didn’t miss anything. The recommended way to fight an electrical car fire is to start with LOTS of water.

http://nfpatoday.blog.nfpa.org/2012/08/wait-a-secondare-you-sure-i-can-use-water-to-put-out-an-electric-vehicle-fire.html

http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-165/issue-2/departments/extrication-tactics/firematic-concerns-of-hybrids-and-electric-vehicles.html

[Dr. Sivana]

Just wait until it’s a Natural Gas Tank.

Hundreds of thousands of CNG cars are in operation around the world (largely in South America). I've not heard of problems with explosions or unstoppable fires. You cannot compare a tankl of CNG with a utility pipe meant to serve a whole neighborhood.

[shego]

And just think about all those other cars on the road with tanks full of flammable liquid!

[Jack Hydrazine]

Video of Tesla car fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0kjI08n4fg

[luckystarmom]

Our Prius’ battery caught on fire. I was coming home from church in our mini-van. I looked at our Prius that was parked in our driveway, and thought someone had painted the windows black.

I opened the doors and smoke came pouring out.

So much of the interior was melted. I was so thankful that it wasn’t parked in our garage under my son’s room. The puctures of it look horrible.

My husband got another Prius, but I won’t let him park it in the garage.

[Paladin2]

"I was so thankful that it wasn’t parked in our garage "

Generally a good rule unless you have an out-building garage.

[Cruising Speed]

I didn’t think electrical cars were supposed to smoke like that!

[Paladin2]

I have a couple of high mileage (and high fuel economy ;-) ) Diesel cars that allow me to maintain a relatively safe tactical Diesel fuel reserve, but not in the House.

[Cruising Speed]

"The driver said he believed he had struck some metal debris on the freeway, so he exited the highway and the vehicle became disabled."

Or maybe something just fell off the car. Did he actually see something in the road or just feel something clanging around underneath?

[chuckles]

The electric cars are being discovered by first responders. They have to approach a burning car with up to 270 volts available to kill them. Many are starting just now to learn how to disconnect the battery under the hood. They all are required to have a disconnect and the cables must be encased in orange tubing. The first few wrecks seen by Cops and EMT’s had many accidents involved in rescue. Cops and EMT’s are much more savvy now that there are a few cars out there. They are dangerous.

[fireman15]

Yes, thank you just because it is an electric car does not mean it is an electrical fire. And these batteries fires are not necessarily the same as a lithium fire either. Once they start shorting out internally or externally they create an exothermic reaction. The danger is that this reaction is taking place in an enclosed space with limited venting so there is an explosion hazard as well.

So what we have is situation that sounds simple, but has many variables and can be difficult or impossible to extinguish regardless of the tactics used.

[shego]

Batteries are like a slow capacitor.
Big ones can be dangerous, like a 5 gal. can of gasoline.

[bmwcyle]

bttt

[shego]

They all are required to have a disconnect and the cables must be encased in orange tubing.

Now that the bureaucrats who enforce these rules are on furlough, I'm sure the manufacturers will start short-circuiting the shutoff switch and camouflaging the cables, just to be dickish. [/sarcasm]