Mach-E catches fire on highway

[katumba1]

OP, are you able to get an update from that private first responders Facebook group you are part of? Were the firefighters sure the pack was punctured?

Nope. Everything else in the post was just more EV bashing.

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[MyLittlePony2022]

I look at this and say stuff happens. ICE cars catch fire too. Puncture a gas tank, have a fuel line leak, electrical shorts near plastic.... fire. ? If you are old enough to have been around when mag wheels (magnesium) were put on hot rods, that was a interesting science experiment when they caught fire. Try putting that out. Water is not a good idea. Cars with gas, oil, plastic, metal, and rubber are going to burn, create toxic smoke and can be hard to put out.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Unless a report appears that shows the battery pack was actually punctured from debris, the forum administrator should probably change the title of the thread.

Feels appropriate. @Administrator

 

[Stanmckinney]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

 

[dbsb3233]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

Not sure it matters. A consumer extinguisher is no match for an EV battery fire. Even the pros with a full fire engine battle those for hours with little success.

Carrying your own in the car would only help for a non-battery fire.

 

[Mach-Lee]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

That will not really help you. Lithium battery fires can't be stopped, you have to wait for them to finish burning for many hours. If you think you have a battery fire, try to park away from structures, get out, and call the fire department (be sure to mention you have an electric car fire). Focus on preventing collateral damage, the car will be a complete loss.

 

[Hammered]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

If it's the battery, your feet, as in get the hell away from it. Depending on the damage, it can shoot out like a big ass blow torch.

 

[v8318cid]

Oh look, an EV fire! Let's roast (pun intended) all EVs for being unsafe! Yeah, sure, and ignore the half a dozen or so crispy critters (aka ICE vehicles) you see on any of the numerous US interstates during a given month that have suffered a catastrophic fuel- or electrical-sourced combustion event. I will never understand those who insist on hating something just because it is different than what they consider the norm.
Glad there are still some sane people in the world (aka you folks here) who might be fascinated by a train wreck, but choose not to jump on the hate wagon. (sorry, rant over; I'll see myself out now)

 

[HGxxx]

I have to agree that the limited video I saw looked like a trunk fire than a battery fire, but maybe the video was in the beginning.

 

[RickMachE]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

The reality is that in an EV there is little you're going to be able to extinguish. You have no access to the "engine compartment" because the frunk and panels block it. So, even if you could get the frunk open, an electrical fire wouldn't be exposed to you. It's unlikely that your brakes catch fire. The battery can't be put out by you, and the likelihood of a fire in the dash that you could extinguish is low.

That said, in a car you carry a dry chemical ABC or BC rated extinguisher. A is for trash, wood and paper. B is for liquids and gases. C is for electrical. I carry one in each vehicle not as much for my vehicle as for extinguishing someone else's vehicle if a life is threatened. Otherwise, stay away. Most people don't know how to properly use an extinguisher, nor fight a fire, and may cause more property damage or put a life (including theirs) in danger. You don't risk your life to save property unless you're in the business.

At $16.88, this would be my purchase - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-B...-Dry-Chemical-One-Time-Use-21030926/303196116

 

[azerik]

Debris on the Vegas freeways? NO WAY!
Arizona is another great one for random crap on the freeways. I've thanked my lucky stars having a ladder fall off the truck in front of me on the 101 and a SOFA fall out the back of a truck a couple cars ahead of me. Oh yeah, and a 6ftx4ftx5ft DOG HOUSE fly out the back of a truck too. (I was strapped but not in a way that helped when it slid out the dropped tailgate. It was a really nice dog house too. Almost She-Shed quality. It hit the road and became 50 pieces of wood and nails.

My go to off road: https://elementfire.com/products/element-e100

 

[dtbaker61]

What’s the best type fire extinguisher to carry?

Class C - intended for electrical fires. Foam or dry to form a physical barrier preventing O2 from feeding the fire. You can get really expensive CO2 or halogen, or inexpensive A,B,C little ones that *might* be enough to do the trick.

I think with any significant battery fire is going to be really difficult to get access to the source. If this fire was indeed from a 'puncture', it might continue to arc on whatever caused the short until Energy dissipates completely, or surrounding metal melts away from the short enough it cannot arc.

$40
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-B...emical-One-Time-Use-2-Pack-21030932/303196148

I am thinking about leaving my driver's side Frunk panel off, or modify to be hinged, and mount a small Class A,B,C extinguisher in the space available in plain sight as is the access to the HV disconnect relay. It's not a bad idea to have an extinguisher in your car, especially if you live in an area prone to roadside brush fires. The trick is mounting it securely in a place you can get to it!

 

[MellowJohnny]

I would have gone with "smoked salmon"...

 

[Ghost Ryder]

What’s the bottom plate covering the battery made of? Is it just plastic? Maybe evs manufactures need to add “skid plates“ to the battery pack.

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