Hybrid explodes into a fireball after crash – two people miraculously escape without injuries
A hybrid vehicle caught fire at about 6am on Tuesday after colliding with a non-electric vehicle at an intersection in Logan, south of Brisbane.
At the time of the collision, two motorists were inside, who were able to get out of the accident on their own.
A police source told Daily Mail Australia that a 2017 Toyota CH-R Hybrid was involved in a collision with a 1992 Ford Laser.
Those involved in the accident were checked over by paramedics, who soon arrived at the scene and appeared to be unharmed.
The crash caused a huge sea of flames after an explosion and roads in the area were temporarily closed.
Electric vehicles are a growing problem for firefighters with an ever-increasing number of them on Australian roads and other inherent problems.
A hybrid vehicle has caught fire after colliding with a non-electric vehicle at an intersection in Logan, south of Brisbane.
At the time of the collision, two motorists were inside, who were able to get out of the accident on their own
Last February, an electric vehicle charger shut down an entire utility pole after it went up in flames in the heat.
A red Tesla Model Y was plugged into an EV charging station in Woodend, Victoria, 70km northwest of Melbourne, when smoke billowed from the electrical box connected to the charger.
The Tesla appeared undamaged when pieces from a burning toolbox fell onto the base of the gum tree next to the pole.
Some online commentators blamed Elon Musk’s car company, saying the car overloaded power lines.
Last February, an electric vehicle charger shut down an entire utility pole (pictured) after it burst into flames in the heat
Firefighters used 22,000 gallons of water to extinguish a Tesla Model S that caught fire as the driver drove on a California highway
In January this year, a Tesla Model S caught fire on a highway in Sacramento, California in the US. forcing rescuers to use 22,000 gallons of water to extinguish it.
According to the emergency services, there was previously nothing wrong with the car and the driver was not injured.
In March, a house in Sydney went up in flames after an e-bike caught fire in the garage, prompting firefighters to urge owners not to leave them on the charger for too long.
A woman was forced to flee the home by jumping from a second-story balcony as crews battled the blaze that spread from the garage to the ground floor.
Photos of the damage showed the house blackened by the flames and the remains of a scorched e-bike lying among other debris in the garage.
Firefighters believed the blaze broke out after the bike’s faulty lithium-ion battery exploded while it was charging overnight.
The blast from the detonating battery was heard throughout the suburb and a neighbor recalled seeing “smoke billowing from the garage.”
Photos of the damage show the house blackened by the flames and the remains of a scorched e-bike lying among other debris in the garage.
Crews took several other lithium-ion batteries from the house for fear they might explode or ignite after being exposed to the flames.
It took firefighters hours to bring the blaze under control (pictured), believed to have started from charging a battery in the garage
Firefighters thought the blaze broke out after the bike’s faulty lithium-ion battery exploded while it was charging overnight
Firefighters reminded e-bike riders that faulty or overcharged lithium batteries could pose a ‘serious’ safety risk.
“They can release gas and explode, creating intense fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish and risk reigniting,” they warned.
E-bike owners are advised to stick to reputable and compatible brands of lithium-ion batteries and not to charge or overcharge their vehicles overnight.
In late January, a Queensland couple’s luxury waterfront home was razed to the ground by a fire believed to have been fueled by a lithium battery.
The $1.65 million home at Nootka Court in Broadbeach Waters on the Gold Coast was engulfed in the blaze.
“Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was started by a fault in an e-scooter battery pack,” a QFES spokesman said at the time.
While rare, incidents of EV battery fires and electric vehicle recalls due to fire risks have been widely reported.
Last November, the United Firefighters Union of Australia (UFUA) called on governments to help reduce risks associated with potential EV battery is lit.
UFUA’s National Committee of Management is urging all levels of government in Australia to ‘develop policies and regulate the management of risks and hazards associated with electric vehicles and battery energy storage systems (BESS)’.
An elderly couple’s luxury waterfront home was razed to the ground by a fire believed to have been fueled by a lithium battery (pictured)
Emergencies caused by EVs and BESS posed significant challenges and threats to firefighters, the community and the environment, said union national secretary Greg McConville.
“While we welcome the increased use of EVs and BESS as part of the renewable energy effort to combat climate change, we must recognize that this new technology poses unique risks.”
However, Eric Rodda, the South Australian spokesman for the Australian Electric Vehicle Association, said electric cars are safer than traditional cars.
‘There is less risk of an electric car catching fire than a petrol car’ he said.