Aurora firefighters extinguish electric vehicle fire after crash
On Monday, firefighters in Aurora quickly extinguished a vehicle fire after a pickup truck and an electric vehicle were involved in a crash.
Aurora Fire Rescue says the crash took place around 3:30 p.m. at E. Quincy Avenue and S. Richfield Street. When they arrived, firefighters found flames and smoke coming from the electric vehicle.
Fortunately, all of the occupants inside had escaped. First responders took two people with minor injuries to the hospital while firefighters began working to put out the flames.
According to AFR, they used a winch to perform a "belly flip" and tip the vehicle on its side so that they could access the damaged lithium-ion battery to cool it. It took approximately 45 minutes for crews to cool the battery enough that it was safe to tow it away. If the vehicle's battery had been allowed to burn itself out, it could have taken several hours, they explained.
AFR shared some safety tips for electric vehicle owners in case they experience a similar fire:
- Know where the manual door releases are
- Keep a spring-loaded window punch in the vehicle to allow for escape through windows/windshields
- Move at least 100 feet away from the vehicle
- Stay clear of traffic, smoke and potentially hazardous fumes
