Yesterday, an unusual vehicle fire occurred in Mountain View at the 1400 block of Wildrose Way. Mountain View fire crews received an emergency call about a truck ablaze, which was quickly determined to have been caused by a drone left to charge on the pickup's passenger seat. The City of Mountain View reports that the first responders arrived on the scene three minutes after the distress call, at 1:37 PM, and swiftly handled the situation.
While extinguishing the flames using a preconnected fire-attack hose line, firefighters prevented potential damage to nearby properties, with the battle with the fire putting a temporary halt to local traffic control provided by the Mountain View Police Department. According to the City of Mountain View, an adult male at the scene sustained minor burns, but he declined transport to the hospital after the firefighter paramedics attended to him.
The incident draws attention to the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, particularly when charging devices such as drones. The City of Mountain View, in response to the fire, reminded residents of the critical importance of following safety precautions when charging such batteries, like using devices listed by a qualified testing laboratory and adhering to manufacturer instructions. The fire's aftermath left the owner with an estimated $10,000 worth of damage to the vehicle and the drone.
