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Siesta Key family ‘narrowly escapes’ house fire after video shows Tesla battery igniting in garage

By and FOX 13 News Staff
Published  September 30, 2024 3:18pm EDT
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Siesta Key family ‘narrowly escapes’ house fire after video shows Tesla battery igniting in garage

A family on Siesta Key survived Hurricane Helene but narrowly escaped when they say a Tesla parked in their garage ignited in the middle of the night.

SIESTA KEY, Fla. - A family on Siesta Key survived Hurricane Helene but narrowly escaped when they say a Tesla parked in their garage ignited in the middle of the night. 

Most of the Hodges family was in bed when the blaze broke out. But two of their grandchildren stayed up a little past midnight and heard a popping sound coming from the garage and went to see what was going on. 

That’s when they discovered what the Hodges describe as a "fireball."

READ: From flooding to fires, Davis Islands got hit hard by Hurricane Helene

As fire alarms blared and the family rushed to get outside, they said the car became engulfed in flames in less than a minute.

Credit: Lisa and Morgan Hodges

The Hodges say it took less than 15 minutes for their grandchildren’s bedrooms to collapse in the fire.  Shortly afterward, the rest of the home did too. 

READ: Impacted by Hurricane Helene? Here's how to apply for FEMA Assistance

The Hodges told FOX 13 that they had no idea a small amount of water could cause their car to ignite and reduce their dream home to ashes.

"I’m just glad we’re alive, but everything I’ve…We’ve been married 38 years and everything we put into that house," said a teary Lisa Hodges. "We built it for our family and it’s all gone."

The Sarasota County Fire Department whisked the nine-member family and two dogs to safety. 

However, the home that the Hodges just moved into after a three-year renovation project is now gone.

WATCH: Aerial view of Hurricane Helene damage in Tampa Bay Area

Bay Area officials are warning the community about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and saltwater. Whether it’s an electric car, a hybrid, a golf cart, or a scooter, if it uses a lithium-ion battery and it comes in contact with saltwater, it needs to be considered a fire hazard and it should not be in your home or in your garage. 

If you are disposing of that battery, you need to make sure it is separated from all trash and other hurricane debris because of the fire risk. 

FOX 13 has reached out to Tesla about the recent fires across the Bay Area, but they have not responded. 

However, according to Tesla’s website, if a battery has become submerged in salt water, it needs to be treated as though that car has been in an accident. It needs to be inspected before you try to start it again.

The Hodges said they only had a few inches of water in their garage and it was enough to spark the fire. 

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