A Tesla electric vehicle caught fire while parked inside a garage that was flooded with saltwater from Hurricane Helene in Florida, prompting officials to issue warnings to EV owners in storm-affected areas.
WFLA reports that dramatic surveillance footage released by Pinellas County authorities in Florida shows the moment a parked Tesla spontaneously burst into flames inside a garage that had been inundated by floodwaters from Hurricane Helene. The video reveals how the fire originated underneath the electric vehicle and rapidly spread, completely engulfing the car in flames within a span of just one minute as thick, billowing smoke filled the cluttered garage space.
The alarming incident occurred after Hurricane Helene battered Florida and other southeastern states like North Carolina, causing extensive flooding in many areas. In response to the Tesla fire, Pinellas County officials took to Facebook to share the video footage and caution owners of electric vehicles about the potential risks associated with water damage from the hurricane.
“Electric Vehicles that have been flooded in saltwater can catch fire,” the Pinellas County Government warned in their Facebook post on Saturday. “If you evacuated and left an electric vehicle or golf cart in your garage or under a building and you are not able to get to it or move it, we want you to let us know.”
Authorities further advised EV owners to take necessary precautions to prevent similar fire hazards. They strongly recommended against charging, driving, or storing electric vehicles and e-bikes inside homes or garages if the vehicles had been exposed to saltwater flooding. The county stressed that any flooded electric vehicle should be moved at least 50 feet away from flammable materials and towed to a dealership for a thorough safety inspection before attempting to operate it again.
Breitbart News has previously reported on the dangers of EV batteries impacted by salt water. In 2022, Florida Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis wrote an urgent letter to the NHTSA seeking guidance on how to deal with the threat of EV fires caused by stormwater:
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office is in need of immediate guidance regarding the response to fires produced by electric vehicles (EVs) that are compromised as a result of lithium batteries corroding from exposure to salt water,” Patronis said in his letter.
Last week, electric vehicles were seen catching on fire in Florida after becoming waterlogged during Hurricane Ian, giving firefighters “a new challenge” they “haven’t faced before,” Patronis said.
“I joined North Collier Fire Rescue to assess response activities related to Hurricane Ian and saw with my own eyes an EV continuously ignite, and continually reignite, as fireteams doused the vehicle with tens-of-thousands of gallons of water,” Patronis continued in his letter to the NHTSA.
Read more at WFLA here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
