A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle caught fire in a Douglas County, Colorado garage this week, leading to a complex and prolonged emergency response from local fire crews. Although the residents escaped unharmed, a driver delivering a package to the home was taken to a nearby hospital to evaluate his injuries.
Fox31 reports that on Monday afternoon, South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a structure fire at a single-family residence in the Denver metropolitan area. The fire, which originated in the garage, involved a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and necessitated a specialized response from firefighters.
Upon arrival, crews were able to control the fire by 3:30 p.m., successfully preventing its spread into the main structure of the house. However, the PHEV continued to burn actively under a fire blanket, producing a plume of smoke visible to SkyFOX aerial cameras at around 4:30 p.m.
Two residents were safely evacuated from the home, while a delivery driver who attempted to extinguish the fire required medical evaluation at a hospital. Brian Willie, the lead public information officer for SMFR, explained that minimal water was used on the PHEV fire due to potential chemical reactions between water and lithium-ion batteries, which could produce deadly smoke.
Instead, crews employed fire blankets to contain the blaze and prepared to tow the vehicle to a safe location in Castle Rock, where it would be allowed to burn out under controlled conditions. The firefighters involved in the incident underwent decontamination procedures, with their gear and equipment being professionally cleaned or replaced as necessary.
According to Willie, the rise in EVs and PHEVs have made such fire scenes more common, and Monday’s incident served as a learning opportunity for dealing with EV fires in residential settings. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
PHEVs utilize lithium-ion batteries, which can catch fire for various reasons, including physical damage, electrical issues from improper charging, exposure to extreme temperatures, and product defects, as noted by the National Fire Protection Association.
Breitbart News reported in 2023 that a Mercedes EV caught fire in a Florida garage, causing $1 million in damages. In an incident earlier this year, a Tesla charging unit caused a house fire that extensively damaged a Texas home.
Read more at Fox31 here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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