Electric Vehicles Burst Into Flames as Hurricane Helene Flooded Florida

One incident occurred as six to eight inches of water entered a garage during the storm.

AP/Orlin Wagner, file
A Tesla charges at a Topeka, Kansas, station, April 5, 2021. AP/Orlin Wagner, file

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s storm surge, Florida officials have confirmed 16 fires were sparked by lithium-ion batteries, including six incidents involving electric vehicles, according to a report from Business Insider.

In one case, a Florida family lost its home after a Tesla Model X Plaid caught fire in the garage, which had been flooded. The vehicle was parked in the garage when it unexpectedly caught fire, an event captured on a Nest video, KOLO-TV reported.

The incident occurred as six to eight inches of water entered the garage during the storm; electric vehicles can ignite if they come into contact with saltwater. The Associated Press notes that while such occurrences are uncommon, keeping electric vehicles out of standing water is advised to prevent potential fires.

At the time of the fire, nine people were inside the home, including two who were awake and quick to notice the flames engulfing the garage. Fortunately, all occupants evacuated safely, but the house was completely destroyed.

Concerns about EV safety have been compounded by viral footage of these fires. Pinellas County officials put out a video showing an EV catch on fire in Siesta Key.

Before the hurricane hit, Governor DeSantis urged Florida EV owners to move their vehicles to higher ground. Tesla offered similar advice, suggesting owners move vehicles at least 50 feet away from homes or anything combustible.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use