California firefighters had their work cut out for them when a Tesla that caught on fire kept reigniting.
According to a Facebook post from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, the Tesla had been sitting in a wrecking yard for three weeks while waiting to be dismantled after an accident.
“The vehicle was fully involved with fire on arrival, and took a significant amount of time, water, and thinking outside the box to extinguish,” the post said.
When firefighters arrived on the scene this month, they repeatedly extinguished the fire but the car kept reigniting.
The Tesla was placed on its side so crews could gain access to the battery compartment. Teslas have lithium-ion batteries that can present fire and explosion hazards when damaged, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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“Even with direct penetration, the vehicle would still re-ignite due to the residual heat,” the post said.
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The crews decided to create a small pit filled with water to submerge the Tesla in and extinguish the fire.
“The pit ultimately reduced the total amount of water needed, estimated at 4,500 gallons,” the post said.
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No injuries were reported, and the fire was completely extinguished.
Follow reporter Asha Gilbert @Coastalasha. Email: [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California firefighters submerge Tesla in water to extinguish fire
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