Electric vehicle fire safety and prevention tips [Video]

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – An electric vehicle caught fire during the weekend at a car dealership in Charleston.

The Charleston Fire Department said the fire started while the car was inside the dealership before it was able to be moved outside where crews fought the flames.

This fire, along with any other electric vehicle fire, poses some particular challenges — more so than a normal vehicle fire.

When dealing with electric vehicle (EV) fires, the composition of the battery and some of the components make it go into a thermal runaway stage.

“These are very hot-burning fires that water doesn’t really effectively extinguish immediately,” Cpt. David Hodges with the Charleston Fire Department said.

He says a typical vehicle fire can be put out in minutes, but electric vehicle fires don’t go out as easily.

“With an EV fire, commonly you are having to flow water for an hour or hours to …