Two days after the accident which cost the lives of four people in Celles-sur-Belle, many questions are being asked about the causes of the accident and especially the fire of the vehicle.
At the Deux-Sèvres Departmental Fire and Rescue Service, Lieutenant-Colonel Rigaud does not have any information to decide on the possible higher flammability of electric vehicles (the deceased aged 26 to 16 were on board of a Tesla electric car, Editor’s note).
He explains, on the other hand, that the approach by firefighters to a vehicle fire is not the same depending on the energy it uses to move. At the start of the mission, the equipment manager obtains information in order to choose the best extinguishing technique in order to protect personnel.
The eCall system
When he is in possession of the vehicle registration, the police are able to provide him with the type of carburetion. It is also possible to access this information when the vehicle is equipped with the eCall system. It is installed on cars built after March 31, 2018. In conjunction with 112, the free emergency call number, it allows you to contact emergency services and, in particular, transmit information relating to the vehicle, in particular its type. carburetion.
Since their launch, electric vehicles can exhibit uncontrolled combustion. They can occur, among other things, when the batteries (up to half a ton on board certain models) are physically damaged, in particular punctured. Electric cars, particularly Teslas, are equipped to prevent this risk and contain possible fire outbreaks.
At any rate “An investigation has been opened to determine the causes and circumstances of the fatal accident, during which the expertise of the vehicle is requested.
“, the duty magistrate told AFP.
