Fire that started from two Teslas parked in Lafayette driveway spreads to nearby vegetation

LAFAYETTE, Calif. ( KRON ) — Two Teslas were involved in a fire that spread to nearby vegetation at a Lafayette residence, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) said. The fire happened Tuesday morning at 198 Hunsaker Canyon Road.

The fire started in the home’s driveway where two Teslas parked next to each other. At least one of the electric vehicles was charging at the time the fire broke out, according to Battalion Chief Kevin Platt.

The driveway is large enough and far enough from the home to where the house was not threatened by the fire. Platt said no structures were threatened due to the fire.

However, the two vehicles were destroyed by the fire (pictured below). Remnants of a white Tesla can be seen. The second photo from the bottom shows that the body of that Tesla was almost completely destroyed

The residential area is comprised of several rather secluded homes and is surrounded by a lot of trees and vegetation. According to Platt, the area is labeled as “high-risk, high-concern” for wildfires.

The Tesla’s car battery caught fire and caused problems for firefighters, Platt said. The fire then spread from the two electric vehicles to nearby vegetation.

However, the complicated aspect of putting out fires from an EV car battery, according to Platt, is they “don’t go out readily and produce hazardous gas.” The fire chief added that the battery can be seemingly extinguished for an hour but then “erupts violently at some point.”

There were no reports of injuries or residents being displaced at this time.

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