UPDATE. A Tesla Model X Catches Fire in Front of a Garage Full of Ammunition

UPDATE. Initially, witnesses that published footage of the fire on YouTube said the Tesla Model X was the source of the family’s nightmare. But neighbors and authorities later confirmed the fire didn’t come from all-electric SUV. Furthermore, the original video that is linked down below has been made private.

According to sources consulted by Kiro 7, the ammunition stored in the garage is to blame for the unfortunate incident. Bullets and other similar products ignited, and the resulting fire spread to the Model X and the Model 3 parked in front of the garage. That’s why firefighters didn’t immediately intervene. They had to wait for the ammo to burn completely. Otherwise, stray bullets could’ve hurt the responders.
Firefighters from Lynnwood, Washington, got a desperate call on Sunday afternoon. They were notified that a car is burning up in front of someone’s home. Because they didn’t find out immediately what type of vehicle it was, a crew rushed to the scene with standard equipment.

They found out what was exactly going on when they arrived at the scene and discovered a red Tesla Model X in flames parked next to a black Model 3. Both vehicles were in someone’s driveway.

Unfortunately, they weren’t properly equipped to deal with a battery-electric vehicle on fire. Moreover, they learned that inside the garage was a lot of ammunition stored. All firefighters could do was to keep the flames from extending to other houses. Unfortunately, the SUV owner’s home was lost in the fire. None of the cars made it either.

Witnesses say nobody was harmed and, eventually, the fire was put out. However, they still need to keep it under observation as the car’s battery could always reignite spontaneously. The neighbors were unable to help since normal fire extinguishers can’t do much in such a scenario.

Normally, an EV on fire means the car should be submerged in water or gradually covered with really cold water that can cool off the battery’s temperature. Even after clearing all the danger, this type of vehicle should be kept under observation for at least a couple of days. They could reignite at any moment if something went wrong with the cells or the circuitry.

Some Tesla vehicles were involved in a couple of fire incidents in the past, but in this case the electric cars aren't to blame. The ammo was the source of the fire. However, batteries used in EVs remain a concern for some models. For example, Hyundai’s Kona was a fire risk for quite some time and prompted a major recall last year. Now BMW is dealing with this issue as well and told some owners of iX and i4 to stop driving at once.