It could take months to determine if the massive fire that destroyed much of a Miami Springs home started with the Tesla car parked in the garage.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Mike Adams says teams of engineers will dissect the vehicle and charging state to see if a failure is to blame.
“One of the things we have to rule out is the car, plus everything else stored in there, tools, appliances, things of that nature,” Adams said.
If the cause was the car, that would be a first. Adams says he’s never seen an electric vehicle cause a house fire in Miami-Dade County.
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“If you think of the number of electric vehicles, Tesla and others on the roads today, we have very few fires compared to cars on the road, so it is safe,” Adams said.
He says parking an electric vehicle and charging it inside a garage is safe as long as the proper setup and recommendations are followed.
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“Make sure you have the proper charging system for your car," Adams said. "Make sure if you have a certain brand, you have the charger for that brand of car, don’t mix and match. Don’t use an extension cord. Have a certified electrician install it to where it meets code and minimizes risk."
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue encourages all drivers to keep their cars in good working order, make sure there’s no clutter close to or touching their car and install a smoke alarm in their garage.
“If it’s done properly, it is safe,” Adams said.
