COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – On Florida roadways, car fires are far from an uncommon sight. Now, first responders are not only contending with gas-powered vehicle fires, but they’re training to extinguish electric car fires as the number of them hitting the roads continues to grow.
Bloomberg Finance estimates about 58 percent of new car sales will be electric cars by the year 2040.
Local fire departments said vehicle fires can happen if cars are not maintained properly but the most common car fires are following car crashes.
James Hammond, the assistant fire chief for the North Collier Fire Department, said electric vehicles are becoming more common on the roadways every year in Southwest Florida, which increases the need for them to continue learning about electric cars.
“The numbers of the vehicles on the road are going up drastically year by year,” said Hammond. “More manufacturers are announcing regularly that conversion to solely electric vehicles.”
Hammond said his crews must stay up to date on the latest innovations and improvements with various brands of electric vehicles. He said there are a few big differences between conventional and electric vehicles that make putting out the flames a different experience his crews must be aware of.
“Conventional cars are filled by a flammable liquid where electric cars have a combination of both or solely battery power,” said Hammond. “The challenge to electric vehicles is getting to the batteries to keep them cool.”
Various tools are often used to access the power compartments of an electric car that may not be needed on a conventional vehicle. Those tools are essential to keep those flames from jumping to other nearby cars and structures.
“We also have struts on our trucks that we can use on the side of the vehicle and lift them up,” said Hammond. “We check them with a thermal imaging camera just to make sure it’s maintaining.”
Following a crash with a gas car, Hammond said it’s quick and easy to cut the gas line, extinguish the flames and hot spots then tow the vehicle away. He said it’s not that simple when it comes to fighting electric fires. He also said you could sit in traffic for a longer period of time while crews battle flames in cars on the streets.
“When the batteries get involved, it does take an extensive amount of more time,” said Hammond. “You could end up being there for hours trying to cool those.”
The North Collier Fire Department said it takes thousands of gallons of water and hours to cool the electric car battery because it’s teeming with electric energy, meaning it could spark again in a tow lot or even on the way there.
Brian Angelson, a training captain with the South Trail Fire Department, said once the flames are under control, there are times when people need to be rescued from their car. He said the extraction process also looks different on their end thanks to the makeup of electric cars.
“When it comes to electric vehicles, it becomes a lot more complicated,” said Angelson. “The main concern is when you start to cut into the structural components of the car itself, sometimes the energized cables are in those components. Avoid those cables at all costs.”
One wrong move could be deadly for first responders and passengers alike.
“There’s no telling what the vehicle is going to do, especially once it’s been compromised,” said Angelson. “They just continue to generate heat, continue to generate heat-its copious amounts of water to put these electric car fires out.”
Angelson said many electric and newer model cars have QR codes on them, so fire crews and consumers can take a picture of it, which takes you to the car’s manual. He says that’s a helpful tool when every second counts.
The South Trail Fire Department strongly encourages everyone to understand electric vehicles before purchasing one, so consumers can be aware of what to do if they find their car is on fire. They also warn new electric car owners to be mindful of what charging equipment they use. They instruct everyone to avoid using an extension cord when charging their car at home because the extension cord can’t handle the voltage.
They also said if you see a car burst into flames on the road, give a fire department a call before you try to save the passengers inside the burning car. They said it’s extremely dangerous for anyone who is unaware of what kind of car they’re working with and what to properly do if the car’s electric.
The North Collier Fire Department said they work with electric car manufacturers in order to stay up to date with any changes made on the electric vehicles. They’re working with a local Tesla dealer to get a car on-site, so firefighters can begin training with the real thing to continue advancing their training.