On Friday morning in Scottsdale, a Tesla collided with a building and then caught fire twice: once during its crash and once while it was being towed away.
Witnesses reported that the driver mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brakes, and within 30 seconds, her electric vehicle caught fire, sparking yet another accident. She managed to escape safely with non-life-threatening injuries.
Scottsdale Fire Department
On Friday afternoon, Scottsdale Fire Department personnel had to intervene twice in an incident involving a Tesla car fire – once after it crashed into a building and caught flames and again while being towed away. For both fires, numerous fire engines, trucks, and Hazmat teams were needed in order to prevent an outbreak of additional flames.
At approximately 8 am on Cactus Road, a car collided with a building. Witnesses claim the driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal and quickly accelerated forward before the vehicle caught fire within seconds – witnesses rushed over to help the occupants escape before flames entirely consumed it. Both parties involved escaped unharmed; unfortunately, though, their vehicle was destroyed in a fire.
Scottsdale firefighters battled the fire for hours but were ultimately unsuccessful in stopping it from reigniting. Due to being charged up so heavily, its battery can spark again even when completely cool – crews also monitored what remains of the car so as to make sure it didn’t reignite again.
Vox reported that one firefighter present told them EV batteries are tricky to extinguish due to their magnesium content, their tendency for reigniting, and the need for large amounts of water in order to put out fires involving these EV batteries – making fire departments’ task even more challenging in small towns such as Austin where this fire took place.
Though these fire departments face unique challenges in responding to Tesla battery fires, many are finding creative solutions for responding effectively. Irmo, South Carolina, hasn’t experienced any fires involving Teslas yet, but their assistant chief says they are prepared in case it ever does occur by making sure to jury-rig a specific firefighting nozzle explicitly designed to target these battery fires.
A short circuit likely caused Austin’s fire in one or more lithium-ion cells used to power its electric car battery, usually protected by a metal casing. Due to the impact of the crash, however, this protective casing may have been broken and allowed the fire to spread quickly.
Scottsdale Police Department
On Friday afternoon in Scottsdale, a Tesla crashed into a building and caught fire twice, once due to the initial impact and again while being towed away. Both its driver and his wife managed to escape unharmed from both incidents, although some suffered non-life-threatening injuries from firefighter response as traffic disruption occurred for hours at nearby shopping centers.
Fire authorities in Scottsdale are still conducting their investigation of the fire which broke out overnight. At present, their investigators do not know the source of it but are trying to ascertain whether it started from a tow vehicle being pulled behind another or an exploding battery. Due to ongoing inquiries, they will not release details regarding who may be driving this car until further investigations have concluded.
At times, it takes both water and manpower to extinguish an electric vehicle (EV) fire – it took over 10,000 gallons and multiple fire engines in Pennsylvania last year to kill one that burned for two hours! High voltage batteries within Teslas can quickly overheat, creating dangerous fires that require multiple firefighters and multiple trucks to put out.
The company is working with firefighters and emergency personnel to assist them in responding more effectively to Tesla fires. Michael McConnell, their emergency response technical lead, recently reached out to Thayer Smith of the Austin Fire Department in Texas with tips for dealing with EV fires through an email obtained through a public records request. Vox received this email through a public records request.
McConnell offered to educate firefighters about Tesla vehicles; however, as a “build-to-order manufacturer,” Tesla cannot supply training vehicles as part of their training efforts.
Tesla models feature retractable exterior door handles that only extend electronically, which makes it difficult for firefighters to open them manually. According to the family of a doctor who died in his Model S, this made rescue operations even harder due to the lack of manual door handles on his car.
Scottsdale Road
Electric vehicle fires have become an increasing source of concern among firefighters. According to Vox’s report, they take longer and may rekindle after being extinguished compared to other vehicle fires, necessitating special equipment for handling them; while some cities are making progress toward providing this equipment and training, others still struggle.
On Friday morning in Scottsdale, a Tesla collided with a building and burst into flames twice. Fire crews responded shortly before 8 a.m. Witnesses claim the driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal and crashed into the building; several hours were necessary to extinguish its fires.
Hours later, as the same car was being towed away from the scene, it exploded again as it was being pulled. This second fire burned for more than two hours and closed down the road for an indeterminate amount of time – prompting drivers to seek alternate routes, and resulting in significant traffic delays at nearby shopping centers.
Fire officials reported that while the fire did not spread to other structures, it came close. A tow truck driver sustained minor injuries as firefighters used multiple water trucks to douse it down. Their cause remains under investigation.
Firefighters have had to respond to multiple Tesla fires over recent years, often needing extra water due to EV batteries being larger. Furthermore, it takes longer for extinguished fires to cool down before cooling down again.
One of the most dramatic Tesla fires ever experienced took place in 2021 when a Model X collided with a traffic light in Austin and caught on fire, necessitating firefighters to use hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to extinguish it.
Firefighters face another significant difficulty: an inadequate supply of tools and training needed to combat electric vehicle fires. For instance, in Irmo, South Carolina – a small town of less than 12,000 residents – the assistant chief told Vox that his team wasn’t equipped to deal with these incidents, with funding sources still needed in order to purchase additional equipment.
Kierland Commons
Kierland Commons is an intimate outdoor lifestyle center situated in Scottsdale’s affluent neighborhood. The community features unique shopping, dining, and entertainment offerings, along with office space for business use and condominium living options. Kierland Commons has become an ideal spot for locals, fashionistas, and resort visitors to relax. World-class restaurants, an outstanding golf course, and a luxurious Westin hotel make up this vibrant enclave that residents flock to.
Witnesses reported the driver, a 17-year-old female, had attempted to park when her vehicle suddenly jumped forward and collided with a building, destroying it. Police are currently conducting their investigation to ascertain what caused this fire, although no cause has yet been identified.
Kierland Commons offers Phoenix shoppers a premier shopping experience near Scottsdale Airport, featuring unique name brands not typically found in malls. Enjoy strolling and taking in Arizona’s lovely weather while browsing unique name brands that you won’t find elsewhere – there are also several restaurants and lounges serving a range of cuisines in this upscale shopping center!
Kierland Commons provides shoppers with many high-end stores, such as Victoria’s Secret, Crate and Barrel, Athleta Coach, and Anthropologie. There are also specialty shops like Postino, which offers wine-curated selections as well as delicious bruschetta and panini offerings.
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Kierland Commons is Scottsdale’s inaugural lifestyle center and features shopping, dining, offices, and upscale loft condominiums in an Old World Main Street-style complex. Woodbine developed Kierland Commons along with The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa as part of a master-planned community alongside the Herberger family to form Kierland Commons.
Kierland Commons is an essential shopping destination. The intimate walking streets offer a mix of luxurious retail and dining options, creating the ideal setting to relax and recharge as shoppers browse storefronts with friendly staff members, adding charm.
