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Electric Vehicle fire adds to Hurricane Helene devastation in Florida

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Published  October 1, 2024 8:44pm EDT
Florida
FOX 35 Orlando

EV fire adds to Hurricane Helene devastation

After Hurricane Helene flooded parts of Tampa, residents are now facing a new threat: electric vehicles bursting into flames.

TAMPA, Fla. - After Hurricane Helene flooded parts of Tampa, residents are now facing a new threat: electric vehicles bursting into flames.

Florida homeowners Lisa and Morgan Hodges recounted a terrifying night when their Tesla caught fire. Most of the family had gone to bed, but two of their grandchildren stayed up. Just after midnight, they heard a strange noise from the garage and went to investigate, only to discover what the family described as a "fireball."

"It was their Tesla," Morgan Hodges said, a vehicle meant to provide clean energy. 

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As fire alarms blared, they rushed to evacuate everyone. The car was fully engulfed in less than a minute. Within 15 minutes, the fire spread, collapsing the grandchildren’s bedrooms into the flames.

"We’ve been married 38 years, and everything we put into that house… it was built for our whole family, and it’s gone," Hodges said.

Fire officials are now warning the community about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.

"Saltwater and lithium-ion batteries don’t mix well," said Danny Alvarez of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. "We’ve seen several cases where the battery catches fire and spreads."

According to Tesla guidelines, if a vehicle’s battery becomes submerged in saltwater, it should be handled as if the car was involved in an accident and treated immediately.

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