By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-03 07:17:01 | Updated at 2024-10-04 21:14:22
1 day ago
A Florida family who narrowly escaped Hurricane Helene has survived once again after their Tesla caught fire and burned their house to the ground.
The Hodges family had unplugged as well as elevated their Tesla Model X Plaid in their garage after a few inches of water had flooded in their Sarasota home on September 27.
But sometime around midnight, two grandchildren heard popping sounds coming from the garage and quickly realized the room was engulfed in flames.
Nest video from the moment shows a blast occurring under the electric car and it catching fire in less than a minute.
Nest video from the moment shows a blast occurring under the electric car and it catching fire in less than a minute
The blaze took out the garage before quickly began spreading as fire alarms blared and the family ran outside.
All of the nine people and two dogs inside the house escaped uninjured.
The family later recounted that it took less than 15 minutes for their grandchildren's' bedrooms to collapse. They were shocked that it took only a few inches of water to cause such a fire.
Tearfully, Lisa Hodges told Fox13: 'I'm just glad we're alive, but everything I've… We've been married 38 years and everything we put into that house. We built it for our family and it's all gone.'
Images from the next morning show their newly renovated property razed to the ground.
The blaze quickly left the garage in ashes and began spreading as fire alarms blared and the family ran outside. All of the nine people and two dogs inside the house escaped uninjured
Images from the next morning show their newly renovated property razed to the ground
This comes days after officials released warnings that electric vehicles could catch fire if inundated with saltwater from Hurricane Helene.
Electric vehicles with lithium ion batteries can catch fire if the batteries short circuit and start to heat up.
'If the saltwater is able to bridge the gap between the positive and negative terminals of battery, then it can cause a short circuit,' said Tom Barth, Chief of the special investigations branch of the National Transportation Safety Board's office of highway safety.
Floridians have been advised to take precautions and prepare for the possibility that they will be unable to charge their cars during power outages.
The family later recounted that it took less than 15 minutes for their grandchildren's bedrooms to collapse and said they were very surprised that it took only a few inches of water to cause such a fire
Governor Ron DeSantis has also urged EV owners this week to get their vehicles to higher ground before Hurricane Helene arrived.
Tesla has also offered similar advice and suggested that if vehicles do end up being exposed to salt water, they should be at least 50 feet away from structures or anything combustible until it can be inspected by a mechanic.
