EV Jaguar charging in garage when fire started in Centennial, Colorado

South Metro Fire Rescue crews rushed to a fire burning in the garage of a home in Centennial on Wednesday morning. When crews arrived at the home located in the 5500 block of S. Mobile Street they found smoke coming from the garage. 

According to investigators, two vehicles were inside the garage when the fire happened. One of the battery packs on the 2019 Jaguar I-PACE appeared to be damaged and burning.

"This vehicle was in the garage, it was plugged in and it was charging when the fire occurred, but exactly what caused the fire, our investigators aren't able to determine exactly that," said South Metro Fire Rescue spokesman Eric Hurst.     

Crews pulled the vehicle into the driveway and an EV fire blanket was used to control the fire. 

"In South Metro's district, this is the first one that I have responded to, and it is the first time that I know of that we've actually deployed the issue of these EV fire blankets," said Hurst.  

Fire crews say this method saves time, uses less water, protects crews and creates less of a hazard.   

"It basically prevents oxygen from getting to the fire. So the burning vehicle itself could just start to smolder underneath that blanket and we can move it with a tow company to wherever we think it's the safest to just let it continue to smolder till the fire is out," said Hurst. "It would take copious amounts of water in the tens of thousands of gallons worth of water... We know that its ineffective and we know that we might be creating a hazardous materials incident from all that runoff water."

The Jaguar and a hybrid vehicle both suffered damage and were removed from the garage. They were taken to a safe location in Parker. 

Fire investigators determined that last year, a recall was issued for the 2019 Jaguar I-PACE because of a battery overheating issue that caused fires. It is unclear whether the vehicle at the center of the fire investigation had been serviced for that recall.