A Tesla exploded into flames on a Pennsylvania highway this week and spewed toxic fumes from its lithium ion battery for a considerable amount of time because it took firefighters a significantly longer period of time to extinguish the fire compared to vehicles that use a standard combustion engine.
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“As Engine Tanker 17 and Engine Tanker 19 arrived on scene it was quickly discovered that this was not your typical vehicle fire as crews quickly utilized just over 4,000 gallons of water. In total approximately 12,000 gallons of water was utilized,” the statement said. “To give you an idea of the severity, crews can normally extinguish a fully involved vehicle fire with approximately 500 gallons or less.”