A Maryland fire department uses a new tool to put out electric vehicle fires more quickly with less impact on the environment.
Studies show electric and hybrid vehicles catch fire less frequently than gas-powered cars, but when they do, the fire can take hours and tens of thousands of gallons of water to extinguish — unique challenges for firefighters.
In May 2022, firefighter needed more than three hours and 40,000 gallons of water to extinguish a Lincoln Aviator hybrid after it caught fire on a ramp to the Clara Barton Parkway in Cabin John.
There is serious concern about EV fires in parking garages, especially underground.
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Montgomery County has the largest number of electric and hybrid vehicles in the state by far, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation. So, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service equipped its hazmat response vehicles with fire blankets — large, heavy pieces of fire-resistant material designed to envelop burning EVs and hybrids.
“We’re able to subdue the toxic fumes from a fire — to subdue the flames from an electric vehicle fire — and to basically knock down the smoke and prevent the spread of the fire to other vehicles,” Capt. Ray Sanchez said.
Lithium-ion batteries
Fire blankets can be used in conjunction with another relatively new piece of equipment: a special hose nozzle.
“With the hopes that we extinguish the fire from underneath, but ultimately what we’re trying to do is cool the battery cells down,” Sanchez said.
Single-use fire blankets cost about $1,500, according to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue. Reusable blankets cost more.
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