Wild operation on the highway: hunters rescue hunting equipment from a burning hybrid!

Wild operation on the highway: hunters rescue hunting equipment from a burning hybrid!

On Monday afternoon, a hybrid car burst into flames on Autobahn 31, more precisely between Geeste and Dalum. Two hunters who were traveling with their hunting equipment, weapons and live ammunition in the trunk were able to get to safety in time, reports NDR. The 61-year-old driver noticed a technical defect and drove his vehicle onto a grass verge where smoke was rising from the engine compartment.

The two hunters' quick response allowed them to secure their hunting equipment before the vehicle caught fire. A few moments later the VW Touareg was completely engulfed in flames. The fire department was quickly alerted and arrived with around 40 emergency services and eight vehicles Northern News reported.

The challenges of vehicle fires

The extinguishing work proved to be challenging because a technical defect was determined to be the cause of the fire. During the extinguishing work, a container with water was used to reduce the temperature of the hybrid battery. This technical problem is not atypical for hybrid vehicles, as they combine several risk factors. This is also an argument from Markus Egelhaaf from DEKRA, who points out the higher number of fires in hybrid vehicles. Egelhaaf emphasizes: “The causes of fire can be divided into three groups: independent causes, causes in the area of ​​the battery and the electric drive and combustion engine-specific causes.”

Although no injuries were reported, the vehicle was a total loss. The motorway had to be completely closed while the fire was extinguished, which temporarily severely affected traffic flow. However, the road users had a good hand and promptly formed an emergency lane.

Safe processes for hunters

After the police formalities, the hunters were allowed to take their weapons and ammunition with them. Although there are no comprehensive statistics on vehicle fires in Germany, hybrid vehicles in particular are a hotly debated topic in this context. An incident like this makes it clear how important safe processes and quick reactions are when technical defects occur.

With the ongoing debate surrounding the safety of electric vehicles, this incident is another example that both hybrid and fully electric cars have their own challenges. We can't wait to see what insights the ongoing studies will bring about the fire risk that DEKRA is striving for in its work. The fire department can extinguish burning electric vehicles, but the special high-voltage batteries require special extinguishing measures, which further complicates the operation.

This shows that even modern vehicles are not without risks, but quick action and good cooperation between the emergency services can prevent anything worse from happening.