An Amazon fulfillment center in Houston, Texas became a literal hotbed of activity on Monday. Multiple Rivian delivery vans caught fire on site, with the electric vehicles burning furiously in the open parking lot.
The incident was captured in great detail by Third Coast Drone from the air. The footage shows a thick black smoke plume arising from the parking lot of the Amazon facility. A great number of Rivian’s custom Amazon vans were parked in the lot, as part of Amazon’s last-mile delivery fleet.
The vans burned with a severe intensity, as is common in EV fires. Flames, hot gases, and sparks were thrown high into the air, even as fire crews were in the process of fighting the blaze. At least three vans were badly affected by the fire. Two burned down to the ground, leaving little more than a bare metal skeleton remaining once the flames were put out.
As we’ve seen in prior EV fires, crews struggled to extinguish the blaze. This is typical when EV batteries catch alight. The batteries tend to undergo a thermal runaway process. This is where the chemicals inside the battery degrade in an exothermic reaction that releases yet more heat, sustaining the process. It’s incredibly difficult to cool an EV battery enough to halt this process. Extinguishing an EV fire typically requires great quantities of water. Indeed, sometimes EV batteries can even keep burning when fully submerged.
It’s unclear how or why the vans caught fire. It’s possible that just one vehicle may have initially caught alight, with the fire spreading to neighboring vans in turn. One commenter on the YouTube video claims to have been in the area, offering their insight into the matter. “I was nearby and can confirm that it was the chargers that caught fire and spread to the vans,” said CloudCaptain-zj7nn. “This was not a battery fire. Amazon needs to provide shade to protect chargers from the Texas heat.”
The Autopian has reached out to the source and authorities for more information. This article will be updated as more details come to light.
Incidentally, it’s not the first time something like this has happened. A Reddit post from last year showed a very similar scene, with multiple Rivian vans burned down to the bare chassis. In that incident, blame was similarly placed on the chargers.
THE EV’S ARE ON FIRE ????
byu/Additional_Honey2830 inAmazonDSPDrivers
It’s true that EV fires can be major, shocking events. At the same time, it’s worth noting that these unique vehicles stand out in the news cycle due to their innovative nature. It’s also true that traditional ICE-powered vehicles also catch fire, indeed more commonly than EVs do.
In any case, it appears that fire crews were able to take control of the situation. Thankfully, the damage was limited to just a small section of the parking lot. The scene will likely be carefully analyzed as authorities, Amazon, and Rivian all work to determine the cause of the blaze.
Update: Rivian has reached out with a statement on the matter. The company notes that no injuries occurred as a result of the fire, and that the cause of the “thermal event” is yet to be determined. In the automaker’s own words:
- We are aware of the incident and are investigating the situation.
- There were no injuries from this incident.
- As we are gathering information, it is too soon to say what might have caused this thermal event.
- A few things to point out from the initial evidence:
- There were a few vehicles impacted by the incident, but the thermal event propagated from the source to surrounding vehicles.
- This vehicle was plugged into the charger, but it was not charging when the incident occurred.
- The HV battery was not the initiator of the incident.
As of yet, few definitive answers are available. Based on Rivian’s statement, we can infer that the fire started in or around one vehicle, before spreading to surrounding vans.
Image credits: Third Coast Drone via YouTube screenshot
I worked at company that made batteries for EVs and took some personal time to learn the risks.
A lithium EV battery is typically made of thousands of cells which are a a little bit larger than AA batteries. If a cell has an electrical fault causing it to overheat and rupture, or is punctured the lithium is exposed to oxygen and instantly ignites. The heat generated by the fire is often enough to rupture adjacent cells which results in thermal runaway.
The fire crews cannot stop the fire caused already ruptured cells. They add water in an attempt to stop the thermal runaway.
A complication of fighting these fires is the toxic gases created. The gases created during the fire of a ruptured lithium cell are deadly. Adding water makes more deadly gases.
Either the date on the video is wrong or they have had 2 fires recently. We drove past a similar fire last week.
Because they actually delivered a package to the right fricken address and had to be punished with fire and brimstone……..
… vandalism.
Any thoughts on why they don’t appear to have moved the adjacent vans away from the fire ASAP? Were all the drivers on break?
I assume the person who claims it was the “charger” is claiming it was the EVSE that caught fire and spread to the vans. From all of the photos the EVSEs in front of the vehicles that burnt seem largely undamaged and thus couldn’t have burned so hot that it started the van on fire. So while it is possible that it was a charger that started it that is in the van, not external to it.
“…EV fires can be major, shocking events.” But the burning question is, are they really shocking when they’re on fire?
Depends on whether or not the battery is underwater and the proximity of any sharks.
dilemmas, dilemmas
I have so many thoughts:
Beavis: Fire, Fire, heh heh
Amazon is having a hot promotion for Amazon Prime Day.
Amazon Fire Stick, now available in extra crispy.
Lookin’ for some hot stuff, baby, this evenin’
I need some hot stuff, baby, tonight
I want some hot stuff, baby, this evenin’
Gotta have some hot stuff
It’s a Donna Summer.
Got to have love tonight!
leave us be, we work hard for the money!!!!
I just see all these wide open concrete parking lots and say “why can’t we install solar panels overhead for shade and power generation?” I’ve seen them in a few places.
Because Texas. They have laws against anti-Murican stuff like that.
Do you have an actual law that says you can’t do that? Or are you just making shit up
I honestly think every large flat roof building nationwide should have panels. I realize the millions in costs involved and the other practical/logistical hurdles and that the initial ROI is likely low to non-existent. At the same time I can’t deny the current effect of climate change within my life and that incremental progress is better than none.
Every commercial building should have every sun-exposed surface covered with solar panels. Not just the roofs. Normalize solar panels.
They probably would if not for a few factors.
Older buildings couldn’t handle the weight?
Building code requurements or electrical limits in older buildings.
Cost, it’s probably mostly cost, the utility out here pays only a pittance for net metering so the math may not work out.
I consider all fires runaway fires. I see a fire and I run away.
Now there’s a carbon footprint!
I love the idea of things burning ‘furiously’. Is it possible to burn calmly? Serenely, even? Or maybe we can burn with boredom and ennui.
Smoldering is burning calmly, no?
everyones calm until they’re around my smouldering good looks.
Dr. Bravestone, is that you??
Then they burn from the chlamydia later.
We used to have “indoor fireworks” when I was a kid, they burned with extreme disappointment.
I drove to work today in a car that burned something 50 times a second and none of those combustion events seemed particularly furious. I was bored for most of my journey.
That brought a tear when the smoke got in my eye.
Yes, oddly enough.
A couple years ago, I drained some old gas/petrol/Benzin from a generator. It didn’t smell great and I wondered how it would burn, so I put some in a metal bucket and tossed in a lit paper towel.
There was no “whoosh” that one would expect from fresh fuel; there was no sound at all, and the motion of the flames could best be described as ‘languid’. Very pleasant to watch, actually.
Candles, fireplaces, gas stoves, camp fires, grills, oil lamps, Tiki torches not in the hands of white nationalists.
Painting them black was a genius move as well.
A little known fact: these originally had red doors, but Bezos said “I want it painted black”
Gah. Take my upvote.
I see the flames shoot out and quickly look away
Don’t want to breathe that smoke and choke the rest of the day
They’re actually blue
Amazon was, perhaps, using knockoff chargers from one of their many cut-rate cheapo import suppliers. Once it leaves the forced-labor prison, I mean, re-education camp, it’s someone else’s problem.
That’s why I only stick to trusted name brands, like ELOOK and Etguuds, it’s well worth the extra 15 cents over the generic no-names like VRURC or whatever
Yeah, yeah, nobody got hurt, happy happy. I just want to make sure that my bulk pack of Prepanaltion Ache (yes, I know it’s not the name brand, but I’m sure it’s just as good if not better for ¼ of the price per ounce) gets to me quick, because let’s just say those vans ain’t the only things experiencing intense burning and noxious fumes, if you know what I mean.
Please stop with the ICE vehicles also catch fire and it’s more common than EVs stock line.
It’s not the same type of fire risk or type of fire occurrence and everyone knows it.
Please read the Tesla “Information for First and Second Responders Emergency Response Guide”.
-Does an ICE vehicle fire require 3000-8000 gallons of water to extinguish a fire?
-Since an ICE vehicle fire typically takes only 500-1000 gallons to extinguish, did you realize that fighting an EV fire will take extra fire equipment and greater tanker capacity when the fire is not near a hydrant, like on a highway? Firefighters in Tennessee used 45,000 gallons to extinguish a burning Nissan Leaf!
-Does an ICE vehicle need to be viewed with a Thermal Imagery Camera to confirm if the fire risk has been mitigated?
-Does an ICE vehicle need be stored 50 feet away from any exposure because the car may reignite 24 hours after initial fire?
Please visit a firehouse and ask some firefighters their opinion on the difference between ICE and EV fires.
Yeah not sure why anyone would disagree with this. EV fires are a major pita to put out with the current battery technology and fire fighting techniques. Will there be better solutions in the future? Hopefully
I’m just curious if we should follow this the other way and use more volatile fuels – that way we don’t need anything to put the fire out because the car is just in pieces?
More use of cancer causing firefighting foam required! /s
Hah! In the Tesla Emergency Guide foam is not recommended, so we’re safe. Fire fighters are also supposed to stay upwind of an Tesla fire and wear a breathing apparatus because the burning materials are toxic.
Doesn’t ICE burn really really cold anyway? And if it warms up it provides it’s own water source?
Depends on if you’re in Alaska or Florida.
Completely unrelated (probably), but over the last week or two I’ve seen 3 loads (2 vans on a flatbed) headed back to Bloomington with most of the front end components removed. No signs of crash damage, seemingly intact from windshield back, but hood, grille, lights, etc off the vehicle.
Made me wonder if they had a recalled component further in that was deemed unsafe to travel with and it was faster to ship them back partially disassembled.
Rivian is in the process of pulling the old Samsung NCA 2170’s out their fleet. They are replacing them with LFP packs. This could be what you are seeing. Just a guess though.
The Riviian Van in the video is definitely filled with NCA 2170’s. The flames shooting out of it gave it away. LFP batteries were chosen for a replacement because thermal runaway in LFP batteries are a fraction of that in NCA or NMC batteries. LFP batteries don’t catch fire, but they also don’t have the same energy density. Advances In LFP, like adding manganese are just now bringing energy density up to a level were they can compete with NCA and NMC materials.
https://www.powertechsystems.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/03/Thermal-runaway-lithium-400×272.png
Neat, thanks for the info.
ICE fires are not nearly as spectacular as EV fires.
Wood fires are primal and hypnotic, gasoline fires are fun in action movies, but those pale, oddly-colored flares feel almost evil
I don’t quite see it myself but I love the emotion you’re putting into it
I can’t explain it. I braze & solder for work, have welded, etc, but, the first time I saw Li gouting pastel flames, I had a visceral ‘GTFO—now!’ reaction. Something in my lizard brain, I guess
I’ve see ICE fires – they are furious and frightening.
So you’re saying my new Amazon Fire is NOT going to be delivered tomorrow?
I’m assuming a flammable material was heated past its flash point in the presence of the appropriate amount of oxygen.
Lol you beat me to it
ZING
Prime answer.