Chevy Volt brings down a house (that might be a possibility)
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Lexus Test Driver
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From: QC/FRANCE
Chevy Volt brings down a house (that might be a possibility)
Fire officials suspect an electric hybrid car may have sparked an overnight blaze in a garage in Barkhamsted on Center Hill Road.
Homeowner Storm Connors and his wife, Dee, said they awoke to the sound of a smoke alarm around 4 a.m. The couple said they have lived in the home for nearly 40 years. They built it and raised their children there, so when the flames took over their attached garage Thursday morning, burning it down to its beams, the couple started to panic. They said they were worried they were going to lose their home and the memories inside.
"I walked outside and looked in the garage door and it was flaming," Dee Connors said. "I grabbed a pocketbook so I'd have a cellphone and a driver's license and a jacket and a pair of slacks. I had no shoes, my feet were freezing."
Within minutes of the 911 call reporting the fire, nearly 50 firefighters from surrounding communities headed to the scene.
The Connors family said that response and the fact there was a firewall built between the home and the garage saved their home.
After the fire was extinguished, the couple invited Eyewitness News into the home to see how effective the firewall was. Even the coats in a closet near the fire were unscathed -- not even blackened by smoke.
Now investigators with the state fire marshal's office and the couple's insurance company are looking into what exactly in the garage sparked the fire.
Officials said they can't rule out that the couple's brand new Chevy Volt hybrid had something to do with the blaze.
The fire is under investigation.
Homeowner Storm Connors and his wife, Dee, said they awoke to the sound of a smoke alarm around 4 a.m. The couple said they have lived in the home for nearly 40 years. They built it and raised their children there, so when the flames took over their attached garage Thursday morning, burning it down to its beams, the couple started to panic. They said they were worried they were going to lose their home and the memories inside.
"I walked outside and looked in the garage door and it was flaming," Dee Connors said. "I grabbed a pocketbook so I'd have a cellphone and a driver's license and a jacket and a pair of slacks. I had no shoes, my feet were freezing."
Within minutes of the 911 call reporting the fire, nearly 50 firefighters from surrounding communities headed to the scene.
The Connors family said that response and the fact there was a firewall built between the home and the garage saved their home.
After the fire was extinguished, the couple invited Eyewitness News into the home to see how effective the firewall was. Even the coats in a closet near the fire were unscathed -- not even blackened by smoke.
Now investigators with the state fire marshal's office and the couple's insurance company are looking into what exactly in the garage sparked the fire.
Officials said they can't rule out that the couple's brand new Chevy Volt hybrid had something to do with the blaze.
The fire is under investigation.
First steering wheels and now this
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Alberta
The problem with this report...and it is no different than Toyota's issues last year...is that it's based on speculation and not facts.
They said it's a "possiblility". They have no evidence of the cause of the fire at this point. It could be something as simple as a wiring fault in the garage, but because there is new technology in the garage people want to discuss that. Media is so irresponsible nowadays.
That being said, if it does turn out to somehow be tied to the car it will be a public relations disaster for a struggling company.
They said it's a "possiblility". They have no evidence of the cause of the fire at this point. It could be something as simple as a wiring fault in the garage, but because there is new technology in the garage people want to discuss that. Media is so irresponsible nowadays.
That being said, if it does turn out to somehow be tied to the car it will be a public relations disaster for a struggling company.
Lead Lap
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Ohio
I was wondering how long it would take for these type of things to start popping up.
The charger for the car takes near the max current for typical house circuits. If the house electrical wiring is somewhat degraded over time, it can do damage quickly. No way for GM to know what condition someone's electrical system is in, but they could have backed it down a couple amps or let people select a lower charging rate so it isn't pushing the limits with older homes. Some of these places still have the old ****-and-tube electric that isn't even remotely safe to be used in that fashion.
The charger for the car takes near the max current for typical house circuits. If the house electrical wiring is somewhat degraded over time, it can do damage quickly. No way for GM to know what condition someone's electrical system is in, but they could have backed it down a couple amps or let people select a lower charging rate so it isn't pushing the limits with older homes. Some of these places still have the old ****-and-tube electric that isn't even remotely safe to be used in that fashion.
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feel bad for their home and loss, but if it turns out that a giant current draw on the household electric caused all the wiring to get hot and start a fire, that's basically the end of the volt and plug-ins because the lawyers will have a field day, until homes have plug-in hybrid 'certification'.
uh, guess you've been under a rock? 
yes, the volt uses gas, but not to drive a traditional gas engine to turn the wheels, the gas powers an electic GENERATOR to recharge batts which drive the car.
rube goldberg would be proud.
taxpayers though, took a POUNDING to make that useless car.
yes, the volt uses gas, but not to drive a traditional gas engine to turn the wheels, the gas powers an electic GENERATOR to recharge batts which drive the car.rube goldberg would be proud.
taxpayers though, took a POUNDING to make that useless car.
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From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Racer
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From: NY
The fact "people rent a garage & secretly install the charging station", guess what will happen......
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I was wondering how long it would take for these type of things to start popping up.
The charger for the car takes near the max current for typical house circuits. If the house electrical wiring is somewhat degraded over time, it can do damage quickly. No way for GM to know what condition someone's electrical system is in, but they could have backed it down a couple amps or let people select a lower charging rate so it isn't pushing the limits with older homes. Some of these places still have the old ****-and-tube electric that isn't even remotely safe to be used in that fashion.
The charger for the car takes near the max current for typical house circuits. If the house electrical wiring is somewhat degraded over time, it can do damage quickly. No way for GM to know what condition someone's electrical system is in, but they could have backed it down a couple amps or let people select a lower charging rate so it isn't pushing the limits with older homes. Some of these places still have the old ****-and-tube electric that isn't even remotely safe to be used in that fashion.
There are Level 1 and Level 2 chargers. Level 1 chargers are simple plug types, up to 1.9Kw maximum. Level 2 are 240v 30 amps which means up to 7.2Kw and they require special installation by certified electrician. Many green states have subsidies for this.
So even if there is possibility for fire due to that Level 2 charger installation, it would be due to bad electrical installation which can happen due to anything.
If you think you will buy Lvl2 charger at home depot, load it to your truck and plug it into your wall, thats not how it works
:-)