Cars in Depth reports that the Chevy Volt and it’s charging station are suspected as possible causes for a house fire that started in the garage of a Mooresville, NC home. According to the report, investigators found a Volt plugged into a charging station located in the burned out garage. The Iredell County Fire Marshal’s office investigating the fire states, “The charging station was in the known area of origin, but the cause of the fire has not been officially determined.”
The Cars in Depth story goes on to say that the actual brand of the car plugged into the charger unit was not mentioned in news reports. However, General Motors is involved in the investigation. There is a worrisome possibility that Government Motors is working hard to quiet stories that raise the possibility of fire hazards that arise from the Chevy Volt’s charging phase. Siemens, the builder of the charging station that was being used to charge the vehicle, is also involved in the investigation along with the Department of Energy and Duke Power.
The first fire that occurred in a Connecticut garage where a Chevy Volt was being charged (in photo) was quickly glossed over with a dismissal of anyone who mentioned that the Volt may have been the cause, even after the vehicle ignited for a second time after the fire was out. While there may not have been conclusive evidence that the Volt started the fire, the speed in which the fire department investigating the incident stepped away from the investigation and allowed GM to take over raises concerns. There have also been reports of defective Volt charging cords overheating, as reported in this cars.com piece, that have gotten little publicity. The question arises, just how far will GM, the Obama Administration and green ideologues go to prove that the Chevy Volt (as well as electric cars in general) is the future of the American auto industry?
Fluffing up the perception of huge demand for the Volt is one thing, but there should be no compromises when it comes to the safety of Americans who buy into the hype of the Chevy Volt and purchase the vehicles. All taxpayers are paying to subsidize purchases of the Volt and plug-in charging stations; it would be a shame to see that the money usurped is putting people at risk. And I’m sure those burning garages leave a bit of a carbon footprint on our environment. Most importantly, any fires involving a Chevy Volt should be fully investigated by authorities without the influence of powerful Government Motors officials. Reports should be made public and organizations like Consumer Reports should be careful in recommending the vehicle to the public before the facts are in. There are many reasons to question the wisdom of attempting to electrify America’s auto fleet at the expense of taxpayers, safety concerns are now high up on the list.
Mark Modica is an NLPC Associate Fellow.
Related:
Plug-In Car Industry Goes Up in Smoke (Rush Limbaugh)