MERRIMACK, NH — Local fire crews faced a battle against an electric vehicle fire Monday morning after a crashed Lucid EV reignited at a local tow yard, requiring tens of thousands of gallons of water to contain.
The vehicle was originally involved in a collision at the Bedford toll plaza last week. While the car had been smoldering intermittently since the initial accident, witnesses say it erupted into open flames shortly after being moved at the tow lot this morning.
Merrimack Fire Rescue (MFR) arrived on the scene to find flames shooting from the undercarriage — a hallmark of thermal runaway, a chemical reaction where a battery cell’s temperature rises uncontrollably, often spreading to adjacent cells.
To combat the fire, firefighters established hose lines from nearby hydrants to maintain a continuous flow. The scale of the suppression effort highlights the unique challenges posed by EV batteries:
Water Usage to Date: 20,000 gallons
Projected Additional Needs: 10,000+ gallons
Total Estimated Volume: At least 30,000 gallons
By comparison, a typical internal combustion engine fire can often be extinguished with roughly 500 to 1,000 gallons of water.
Firefighters wore full protective breathing apparatus (SCBA) throughout the operation. This equipment is vital for shielding personnel from the highly toxic fumes released when lithium-ion components burn.
"The vehicle’s battery continues to burn from what is referred to as thermal runaway," officials noted, emphasizing that such fires can remain a threat for days after the initial spark.
As of this afternoon, crews remain on-site monitoring the wreckage to prevent a third reignition. No injuries have been reported.
The car is owned by Eugene Mirman, a Massachusetts voiceover artist who works on the show Bob's Burgers.