Dramatic video footage released by Pinellas County officials shows a Tesla bursting into flames inside a Florida garage flooded by Hurricane Helene. The shocking incident serves as a warning to electric vehicle owners in areas affected by the storm. Surveillance footage reveals the fire starting underneath the car and spreading rapidly, fully engulfing it in under a minute. Thick smoke quickly fills the cluttered garage.
The warning comes after Hurricane Helene brought widespread flooding to parts of Florida, North Carolina, and other southeastern states. Pinellas County Government posted the surveillance video to Facebook on Saturday to warn electric vehicle owners of the risk.
''Electric Vehicles that have been flooded in saltwater can catch fire. If you evacuated and left an electric vehicle or golf cart in your garage or under a building and you are not able to get to it or move it, we want you to let us know,'' the county said in a Facebook post.
Watch the video here:
Officials also urged electric car owners to take precautions to prevent similar incidents. Pinellas county advised people not to charge, drive, or store their EVs or E-bikes in their homes or garages. They added that the electric vehicle should be moved 50 feet away from combustible material and towed to a dealership for inspection.
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region late Thursday as a Category 4 storm, bringing 140 mph winds and widespread devastation. As it swept through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, Helene uprooted trees. splintered homes, caused creeks and rivers to overflow, spawned tornadoes and strained dams. The powerful hurricane left at least 93 people dead and left millions without power, as per New York Post.
President Joe Biden is planning to visit areas affected by Hurricane Helene this week, but only if it doesn't hinder ongoing rescue and recovery efforts. He assured that his administration is providing all available resources to support the affected states in their response. The American Red Cross has launched a massive relief effort, deploying over 1,400 disaster workers and opening hundreds of shelters for those affected.
