A fire originating from a Tesla Powerwall battery, Elon Musk’s home energy storage system, caused damage to a home in Santa Rosa, California, but firefighters were thankfully able to save the residence from extensive damage by limiting the fire to the garage.
The Press Democrat reports that a fire originating from a Tesla Powerwall, Elon Musk’s home energy storage system, caused an estimated $20,000 in damages to a residence in Santa Rosa, California, on Monday, according to fire officials.
The Santa Rosa Fire Department responded to multiple calls around 5:25 p.m., reporting smoke emanating from the garage of a home. “The first firefighter arrived and saw a large two-story home with an active fire in the garage,” Battalion Chief Jason Jenkins reported.
The home’s sprinkler system had been activated, slowing the fire’s ability to spread to the home. Firefighters swiftly worked to extinguish the flames, while other crew members rescued a large dog still inside the residence. Thankfully, no injuries were reported in the incident.
The fire was contained to the in-wall Tesla battery within 10 minutes, however the Powerwall, which stores solar energy for use during power outages, continued “to smolder and smoke” for more than an hour.
Jenkins noted the potential for a more significant fire, had it not been for the sprinkler head activated next to the Powerwall and the quick response from firefighters.
Fire investigators have determined the fire to be accidental and electrical in nature. However, the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. As the world increasingly turns to renewable energy solutions, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures and thorough product testing.
This is not the first time that a Tesla product has caught fire in a residential home, Breitbart News reported in December 2022 that a Tesla vehicle caught fire inside a garage in St. Louis, Missouri. Luckily, no one was injured in the blaze and firefighters were able to remove the Tesla from the garage to extinguish the flames.
KMOV reports that firefighting crews responded to a report of a fire at a home in Webster Groves, St. Louis, early on Monday morning. At approximately 3:00 a.m., emergency crews received a call from a residence in the 400 block of Pasadena Avenue.
Upon arrival, it was determined that a Tesla in the attached garage was on fire. There was a second non-electric vehicle also located in the garage. Luckily, firefighters were able to remove the Tesla from the garage and extinguish the flames.
It was reported that the fire also spread to the inside of the home and caused additional damage. However, no injuries were reported. Tesla vehicles have made headlines throughout 2022 due to reports of Elon Musk’s electric cars bursting into flames.
Read more at the Press Democrat here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan