A blaze erupted in a Surprise home Tuesday night, and a hybrid vehicle within the garage may have been the fire's point of origin. The house, situated near Greenway and Dysart Roads, was engulfed, leading to a large-scale response from firefighters. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the crew on scene utilized a new technique, deploying a fire blanket specially designed to smother a hybrid car fire by cutting off its oxygen supply.
With the growing prevalence of electric and hybrid vehicles on the road, the approach to firefighting has evolved to adapt to new challenges. Battalion Chief Larry Subervi of the Surprise Fire Department highlighted the ongoing need to continuously seek out new strategies, stating "We continue to evolve in how we fight fires and the types of fires we’re going to fight. That’s part of the craft, why we call it a professional trade, because it’s our responsibility to keep the public safe and continue to find new ways to fight these fires," in an interview obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.
The homeowner's swift alert to dispatch that a hybrid vehicle was inside the garage was key to the fire department's tactical preparation. As the situation unfolded, Hazmat units from several cities, including Phoenix and Glendale, were called in due to the heightened risks associated with electric vehicle fires. "Air monitoring continued in the area to ensure that none of the additional hazards associated with EV were present," the fire department said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
As these types of fires become more common, emergency services are learning to quickly adapt in order to effectively handle them. "Last night's incident will go a long way in building this card catalog for us to look at every fire. Now, when we do the training, ‘Hey, this is what Mesa had, this is what Gilbert did, this is what Phoenix did, and now this is what Surprise did.’ If we're not sharing this information, we’re not working hard enough," Phoenix Fire’s Capt. Rob McDade told FOX 10 Phoenix. One Tempe Fire Medical Rescue team has even secured a new device called the Coldcut Cobra System, aimed specifically at combating EV fires, as reported by 12News.
One individual was displaced by the tragedy and a GoFundMe page has been created to assist in her recovery. Anyone interested in offering support can find the donation page online. As the investigation continues, and as the number of electric and hybrid vehicles increases, firefighting techniques will sustain to grow and change.
