Rising floods caused by Hurricane Helene may have caused this Tesla to catch fire. Footage of the dramatic fire has been uploaded online.
The government of Pinellas County – which includes an area just west of Tampa, Florida – posted a video from a Nest home camera, showing a Tesla Model X suddenly catching fire in a garage.
A loud bang is heard before flames quickly rise up the outside of the electric vehicle (EV), filling the garage with smoke.
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The flames continue to burn and gases appear to be coming from the battery pack.
While the fire is still under investigation, it is believed to have been caused by the salty flood water entering the Tesla’s battery, with the salt acting as a conductor of electricity.
Before the Category 4 hurricane, EV owners were urged to drive their cars to higher ground.
Tesla recommends inspecting submerged models before restarting.
Tragically, more than 120 lives were lost as a result of Hurricane Helene and approximately 600 remain missing in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia.
