Irvine, United States – OCFA crews responded to an electric vehicle fire in the middle of a street in Irvine yesterday.

Officials stated that incidents involving electric vehicles can be extremely difficult to manage due to intense heat and the risk of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

Firefighters have recently added the Cobra water piercing nozzle to their equipment to help deal with such situations. The tool uses a high-pressure water stream combined with aggregate to penetrate vehicle materials and deliver cooling water directly into battery compartments or other hard-to-reach areas.

According to officials, this method helps reduce heat more quickly, slows the progression of thermal runaway, and limits the spread of fire, while allowing firefighters to remain at a safer distance from the most dangerous areas.

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