Guess what: Big batteries – when subjected to trauma – catch fire … whether in the air (787) or on the ground (Tesla).
Earlier this week, a Youtube was posted showing a Tesla on fire.
Audio: “Dude, that’s a brand new car … wow”
click to view
Here are some details …
According to USA Today …
Investors in electric car company and Wall Street darling Tesla were burned … after a YouTube video showed a Model S sedan blazing after an accident near Seattle.
The video posted on YouTube shows the front of the Tesla Model S in flames.
The incident happened as the driver was traveling southbound on state Route 167.
The driver stated that he believed he had struck some debris on the highway, triggering the fire, but a trooper who responded to the scene was unable to locate any objects on the roadway.
Tesla said the fire was caused by “substantial damage” to the car when the driver hit a large metal object in the road.
“The flames, the company said, were contained to the front of the $70,000 vehicle due to its design and construction.”
“All indications are that the fire never entered the interior cabin of the car. It was extinguished on-site by the Fire Department”
Yep, the fire was eventually extinguished, but according ABC News …
Firefighters wrote that they appeared to have the 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, responders used a circular saw to cut an access hole in the front section to apply water to the battery.
Only then was the fire extinguished.
Couple of takeaways:
1) Yep, batteries are flammable
2) The bigger the battery, the bigger the fire
3) When in doubt, blame it on a phantom object
4) Turn a negative into a positive “design & construction confined the fire”
5) Redefine “confined” … watch the video again
Oops …
* * * * *
Follow on Twitter @KenHoma >> Latest Posts
Tags: Tesla
The Homa Files 
Leave a comment