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New danger in Los Angeles: Many electric cars and large battery systems have burned

New danger in Los Angeles: Many electric cars and large battery systems have burned

The fires broke out in Los Angeles last Tuesday and have so far engulfed an area the size of Paris.

They are not yet fully under the control of the firefighters, but the work of extinguishing the fire, fortunately, is coming to an end. Now the city services are preparing for the cleanup, but experts warn that it will not be an easy task.

In addition to the large number of burned houses, there is another danger – the wreckage of electric cars. In California, electric cars are extremely popular, and many of them were destroyed by a fire.


Electric vehicles could present an additional challenge, Automotive News reports. Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged that the cleanup will be complex due to the large number of lithium batteries that can now be found among the debris.

He cited electric car cells and Tesla home batteries as challenges facing firefighters and other services, "today the world is a little different, with batteries, not just car batteries, but also household batteries, which store the electricity of solar panels."

Newsom said he expects it will take six to nine months to clean up the aftermath of the fire.

The unpredictability of electric vehicles is a problem. Electric cars can restart unexpectedly after an electrochemical pulse.

That means it's not over even when the wreckage appears to be under control. There is also a greater risk of inhaling harmful fumes and a greater risk of chemical burns when working with damaged batteries.

This has led experts to urge extreme caution when disposing of any damaged electric vehicles following the LA fires. /Telegraph/