Smart ForTwo electric car ‘totally destroyed’ and left gutted by flames after it set on fire while charging outside office
Charging fault outside offside near Chelmsford, Essex causes fire on plugged-in electric car
AN ELECTRIC car was left gutted after a charging fault set it alight.
The new 2017 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive went up in flames outside an office in Essex.
The two-seater was "totally destroyed" by the blaze which also caused smoke damage to the building next door.
It had been left plugged in to charge overnight but fire crews were called in the early hours of Sunday (July 9) morning to tackle the blaze.
Firefighters registered a temperature of 300C as the 17.6kWh lithium ion battery back continued to burn.
The fire service confirmed the blaze at The Rettendon Turnbike, near Chelmsford, Essex was accidental and was down to an electrical fault.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was out by 6.25am.
A spokesman added: "An electric car which was left on charge outside an office building has been 100% destroyed and caused smoke damage to a building after catching alight.
"Crews were called to reports of a car fire this morning (Sunday 9 July) outside an office building.
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"On arrival firefighters reported that the car was 100% alight and that the building it was parked outside was becoming smoke logged as a result.
"By 6.25am firefighters had extinguish the fire, ventilated the building and ensured that the scene was safe.
"The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental, and was due to an electrical fault."
