Best Way to Extinguish a Flaming Electric Vehicle? Let It Burn

Wall Street Journal ^ | Nov. 8, 2023 5:30 am ET | John Keilman

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Firefighters called to extinguish an electric-vehicle fire are discovering the surest approach is to stand back and watch it burn.

Electric cars combust differently than their gas-powered counterparts. Firefighters and researchers said EV fires last longer, are harder to put out and have a tendency to reignite.

First responders in Franklin, Tenn., faced their first burning EV in September, a Nissan Leaf that ignited while charging outside the car maker’s North America headquarters. They spent hours pouring 45,000 gallons of water on the car, compared with the 500 to 1,000 gallons that fires involving gasoline-powered vehicles usually need, Fire Marshal Andy King said.

“I think if we were faced with a similar scenario next time, we might need to let it burn,” he said.

Nissan said it is investigating the cause of the fire.

It isn’t clear how frequently EV fires take place, but as the cars become a larger part of the American fleet, some fire departments see them as a growing nuisance. Firefighters in Florida’s North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District responded to six last year after a storm surge brought by Hurricane Ian caused saltwater to get into EV battery compartments, which can cause short-circuits.

There are more than 170,000 vehicle fires in the U.S. each year, but the National Fire Protection Association, which uses federal data to track the fires, doesn’t break them out by power source. Tesla estimates its cars catch fire at a rate much lower than U.S. vehicles overall, and some independent studies have reached similar conclusions about EVs in general.

First responders are still trying to figure out how to deal with EV fires. “When we look at how much money is going into battery plants, into the EV transition, there hasn’t been that carve-out...

[FamiliarFace]

Make sure it’s in a detached garage for extra protection. ;)

[Delta 21]

It would work for smothering the fire but the fire itself produces its own fuel and oxidizer so it is self sustaining no MATTER WHAT. An EV drove into a lake the other day and there it sat submerged on the boat ramp burning as you could see the flames on top of the water. An entire lake of water cannot extinguish an EV fire.

[Celtic Conservative]

I don’t know about hydrogen cyanide, but I do know they generate oxygen from the burning of the battery material. Hard to cut oxygen off when the car brought its own supply.

CC

[Glennb51]

A fitting end, to be sure.

EVs are a scam.

Thank you for the info.

[fruser1]

And thanks to cableless door locks, if it lights up while you’re inside, your dead.

When a regular car lights up, it doesn’t necessarily kill the electric right away.

[Menehune56]

Shouldn’t EVs be prohibited from parking structures?

[NorthMountain]

Gasoline does not spontaneously combust on contact with air.

#2 Diesel does not spontaneously combust on contact with air.

Ethanol does not spontaneously combust on contact with air.

Methane does not spontaneously combust on contact with air.

Propane does not spontaneously combust on contact with air.

Lithium does not spontaneously c ...

Oh ... wait ... it does ...

[NorthMountain]

Aqueous Film-forming Foam is designed to suppress and extinguish petroleum fuel fires.

[Hieronymus]

High school chem back in ‘86 was sufficient to see why big lithium batteries are probably not a great idea.

But you can do really fun things with them.

If any group wants to make major American cities look like Paris, we have things in place ready to go!!!!

[NorthMountain]

make major American cities look like Paris

Ahhh ... "Gay Pahreee" ... The city of lights.

I'm pretty sure "unextinguishable car fires" was not what the Frogs had in mind when they named their city Lutèce.

[SecondAmendment]

> How do you sleep with this in your garage?

By keeping a lithium battery powered smartphone on the nightstand to alert you when your EV catches on fire ?

[butlerweave]

The EV crap might change after a few Elites and or Families get incinerated

[Bob434]

[[They spent hours pouring 45,000 gallons of water on the car]]

Well by all means then, let’s make everything g electrical because we have far too much water

[SaxxonWoods]

But, but, it kills GAIA when it burns!

[PGR88]

A friend is the town fire chief.

He said same - their training is: if an EV is on fire, let it burn. If its in a garage, try to isolate the garage from the house.

[SaxxonWoods]

“Use the type of foam the airport fire fighters use?”

Yes, but few fire departments have it, it’s expensive. They usually bury the cars for a week in police impound lots and hope for the best. Most of the time that works, but not always.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Thanks. So I would imagine a lithium induced fire is probably even less survivable than one caused by fossil fuels by the heat alone. If someone gets into an accident and get knocked out and the battery goes on fire, they are screwed.

[ridesthemiles]

I cannot imagine the cost of insurance on an EV.

[oil_dude]

If you have a parking garage under your condo tower, you better BAN electric vehicles, or the whole building will burn.

[Delta 21]

The fire will not go out when completely submerged.

Tesla Model X Slides Down Boat Ramp, Ignites And Burns Underwater

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4195975/posts