St. Lucie County Firefighter explains what it takes to respond to Electric Vehicle fire
‘A lot of water’: St. Lucie County Firefighter explains what it takes to respond to Electric Vehicle fire
Updated: 11:15 AM EDT Jun 4, 2024
A FEW PLAY ALL RIGHT CHRIS THANK YOU. ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRES ARE A CHALLENGE FOR FIREFIGHTERS. THEY HAD TO USE 20,000 GALLONS OF WATER TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRIC FIRE THIS WEEKEND. TREASURE COAST BUREAU REPORTER ANGELA ROZIER EXPLAINS HOW FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOW TACKLING THE PROBLEM. WELL, FIRE OFFICIALS TELL ME ABOUT SEVEN VEHICLES RESPONDED TO THAT ELECTRIC CAR FIRE ON SUNDAY. THEY SAID ONE. THEY GOT THERE. IT WAS PRETTY MUCH UNDER CONTROL, BUT THEY HAD TO KEEP PUTTING WATER ON THAT BATTERY TO MAKE SURE IT WAS COOL AND EVERYTHING WAS SAFE. FIREFIGHTERS WITH THE SAINT LUCIE COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT RESPOND TO EMERGENCY CALLS ALL THE TIME, BUT SUNDAY’S CALL TO THIS ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRE ON US ONE IN FORT PIERCE IS GETTING ATTENTION. PUTTING OUT THE FIRE IS ONE PART OF THE PROCESS OF RESPONDING TO ELECTRIC VEHICLE FIRE. BUT ACTUALLY GOING IN AND COOLING THE BATTERY SO THAT IT DOESN’T REIGNITE TAKES A LONG TIME. IT TAKES A LOT OF WATER. 20,000 GALLONS OF WATER WAS NEEDED, OFFICIALS SAY RESPONDING TO A VEHICLE FIRE LARGELY SAVES THE SAME. SAFETY IS FIRST AND THEN THEY FOCUS ON STOPPING THE FIRE FROM SPREADING. BUT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS AS WE’RE MOVING TO MORE AND MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THE REAL TROUBLE WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS THAT THEY CAN REIGNITE. THERE’S BEEN STORIES OF THEM REIGNITING AFTER FIRE CREWS HAVE LEFT, HE SAYS. GETTING TO THE BATTERY TO COOL IT CAN ALSO BE CHALLENGING, SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE. ONCE WE’VE KNOCKED DOWN THAT FIRE RAISE IT UP SO WE CAN APPLY WATER DIRECTLY TO THOSE BATTERY CELLS THAT ARE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLES. THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SO CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW. NO WORD ON THE CAUSE OF THAT FIRE, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STILL INV
‘A lot of water’: St. Lucie County Firefighter explains what it takes to respond to Electric Vehicle fire
Updated: 11:15 AM EDT Jun 4, 2024
St. Lucie County Fire District officials face challenges when responding to electric vehicle fires.Top headlines:Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
St. Lucie County Fire District officials face challenges when responding to electric vehicle fires.
Top headlines:
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
