Hybrid vehicle battery explodes during fire, knocks fire fighters to ground, Colorado, US
A hybrid vehicle fire caused a small explosion at a home in Erie in Colorado, US, on Tuesday morning, 11 April 2023. Mountain View Fire Rescue officials tweeted that dispatchers received a report of a structure fire on Marlowe Circle in the Morgan Hill neighbourhood of Erie at 08h16am Tuesday. Fire fighters found a hybrid Jeep 4XE hybrid smoking inside a garage. When crews put water on the vehicle, the battery caused an explosion, blowing the garage door off its track. The door flew 30 feet and almost hit a Mountain View battalion chief. Three fire fighters in the garage were block back against the walls but no injuries were ultimately reported.
Mountain View Fire Rescue’s statement said that crews responded to reports of a structure fire but upon arrival, there were no signs of fire. When fire fighters entered the home, they searched both the first floor and the basement looking for the source of the light smoke, which turned out to be in the secondary garage.
The home sustained only minor damage.
“It was a scary moment for our crews this morning,” Mountain View officials said. “It was a scary moment for our crews this morning on a call in Erie. Report came in as a structure fire with smoke in the home. Turned out to be a hybrid on fire, which lead to a small explosion from the battery.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Source: Colorado Hometown Weekly, Mountain View Fire Rescue