Cybertruck Catches Fire After Crashing Into a Fire Hydrant

Cars and trucks catch fire all the time due to accidents, collisions, and malfunctions, but some vehicle fires are more newsworthy than others. For example, when the vehicle in question is the controversial Tesla Cybertruck, and when the aforementioned fire occurs after the truck hits a fire hydrant.

The fire broke out in Harlingen, Texas, on Tuesday, August 27. According to firefighters, it took more than an hour to extinguish the fire from the damaged battery. Local reports say that the accident only involved the Cybertruck, and the occupants of the Tesla escaped unharmed. It is not clear how the driver hit the hydrant, but the result was clear: the jet of water from the broken bottle damaged the Tesla's battery compartment, according to firefighters, causing an out-of-control thermal fire that resisted quick and easy extinguishing efforts.

Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles are highly resistant to conventional firefighting methods—for example, pouring water on a fire to cool and smother it—because the integrated components of a battery cell contain not only fuel in the form of electrolyte, but also an integrated source of heat and an oxygen source. (These three factors are commonly known as the “fire triangle.”) As such, once damage begins, it takes substantially more effort to deprive the fire of heat or air.

"Electric cars like Teslas are not like regular cars that we can stop with water, it's going to take a lot of water," Harlingen Fire Chief Rafael Balderas told local TV station Valley Central. Deputy Fire Chief Ruben Balboa confirmed that it took about 90 minutes and exorbitant amounts of water to completely extinguish the fire.

Even after the fire was extinguished, the fire department reportedly watched the truck as a tow truck removed it in case of a new fire. Electric vehicles that catch fire can start secondary fires even days after the initial problem if the battery manages to heat up to the point of ignition again, so careful monitoring of the damaged vehicle is important.

The only effective way to extinguish fires in electric vehicles

The only effective solution to extinguish fires in such a situation is to use Bridgehill fire blankets . These allow extinguishing a classic vehicle in 20-30 minutes without the use of water or extinguishers and also isolate any fire caused by electric vehicles or lithium-ion batteries until the firefighters arrive, eliminating the risk of an extensive fire and high damage .

Present in numerous countries, with awards at various fairs for the efficiency of interventions in warehouses, underground parking lots, production areas, fire departments or car dealerships, BRIDGEHILL FIRE BLANKET is now also present in Romania through DISTREO.

This product was designed and manufactured in Norway.

The product comes in 2 variants:

• Standard
  • • Ideal for spaces with a high concentration of cars, such as parking garages, road tunnels, ferries and car repair shops.
• PRO X
  • • Can be reused up to a maximum of 30 times
    • Suitable for professional firefighters and other organizations that may have to deal with multiple fires. Blocks and isolates fire in electric vehicles.

To find out more information about our products, visit the website Distreo . To not miss any posts on our blog, don't forget to sign up for the Newsletter!