http://jalopnik.com/tesla-model-s-fire-involved-batteries-firefighters-say-1440443156
By Patrick George, October 1, 2013
The Seattle-area fire department that extinguished the Tesla Model S
blaze after the car crashed into some debris released more details
tonight on the fire, saying a battery pack at the front of the car was
burning and adding water made the flames worse.
The following reports from the Kent, Washington Regional Fire Authority published by International Business Times and corroborated by the Associated Press confirm what a Tesla spokeswoman told Jalopnik about the crash, which occurred around 8 a.m. Tuesday on State Route 167.
According
to the report, firefighters arrived at the scene and found the car
ablaze with an apparent "engine compartment fire," which they then
extinguished. When they broke a window to gain access, the fire
re-ignited.
"The application of water seemed to intensify the fire activity," the report said.
Firefighters
ended up putting out the blaze with dry chemical extinguisher. When
they took apart the front end, they found a battery pack still burning.
The firefighter "had to puncture multiple holes in the pack to apply
water to the burning material in the battery," the report said.
Firefighters also used a jack and cut into the frame of the car to spray
water on the pack.
This Is What Fiery Tesla Model S Death Looks Like (UPDATED)
http://jalopnik.com/this-is-what-fiery-tesla-model-s-death-looks-like-1440143525
By Patrick George, October 1, 2013
Yeee-ouch. We don't know what happened here exactly, but one of our readers captured some stunning photos of a Tesla Model S that apparently caught fire this week on Washington State Route 167 outside of Seattle. (Update: Tesla officials say the fire was caused by a crash. See more details below.)
At the moment we don't know whether the fire was caused by a mechanical issue or some kind of crash (although that front end looks pretty trashed), nor do we know if anyone was injured. I couldn't find anything in area news about it, so I'm hoping it wasn't too serious. If you have any insights, drop them in the comments.
It's no
secret that the Model S is a very impressive performer. Maybe it was
just trying to compete with Ferrari in the wrong ways.
Update:
Here is a statement from officials at Tesla, who say the fire was
caused by a crash that luckily injured no one and did not enter the
car's cabin.