A blaze in a north Phoenix garage brought firefighters to a home near Cactus and Cave Creek roads early Tuesday morning. Upon arrival, they found two electric vehicles, described as "homemade electrical cars," ablaze according to ABC15.
The fire posed a significant risk not only due to the nature of the electric vehicles but also to the potential hazardous materials involved. Phoenix Fire Department Captain Todd Keller underscored the uniqueness of the incident when he relayed, “Command made contact with the homeowner, and he stated that the vehicles inside were homemade electrical cars." A hazmat unit metered the area following the fire mitigation, with all readings returning to normal, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. The response included removing the battery from one of the vehicles and submerging it in a drum filled with special sand to cool it, as it was still emitting smoke hours after the fire was extinguished.
There were no injuries reported, and the occupants of the home evacuated safely. Nevertheless, the incident is set to displace three people due to the extent of the damage. Investigations to pinpoint the exact cause of the fire remain ongoing, with both homeowners and authorities seeking answers.
Meanwhile, the fire spotlights the emerging trend and potential risks of converting vintage vehicles into electric cars. Professionals like Mark Scalpone and Logan Necochea from Vintage Iron and Restoration have been undertaking such conversions for years. They emphasize the importance of expertise in such endeavors, with Mark stating, "Most of anybody that wants to convert a car is probably an electrical engineer and is like, oh, this is really cool, and they can do it," in an interview with FOX 10 Phoenix. Their advice comes as a stark reminder of the complexities and dangers involved in such projects.
