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Unofficially official: Volt cleared in Connecticut Fire

6K views 29 replies 24 participants last post by  goatgary 
#1 ·
Exclusive: Chevrolet Volt unofficially cleared in Connecticut garage fire
GM-Volt

Jeff Cobb
May 18, 2011


After flames of rhetoric alleging the Chevrolet Volt might have caused a Connecticut garage fire last month, the case has basically fizzled from the media’s attention, but yesterday the local fire marshal in charge said the Volt was cleared of suspicion in his mind.

“It wasn’t the cars,” Barkhamsted Fire Marshal William Baldwin told GM-Volt.com regarding the cause of a fire at the Barkhamsted residence of Dee and Storm Connors.

Officially the fire marshal’s report still states the cause was “inconclusive,” but as the local fire official responsible for the investigation – among other investigators – Baldwin’s view yesterday was at least conclusive about the big question surrounding the Volt.

So, we asked, what was the cause? Could it have been the garage wiring or some other incendiary source?

He said yes it could have been, but he does not believe it was the fault of the Chevrolet Volt or a home-converted Suzuki Samurai EV that was also in the garage at the time of the fire.

According to Storm Connors, the owner of the house and the EVs in question, his garage had a number of flammable items laying around. This is what he wrote on his blog April 20:

Ya gotta love the media and the public’s perceptions. Tis true that the Volt was suspected of causing the fire. So was the Suzuki, the electrical wiring, candles, discarded ashes, oily rags and any other possible ignition source. We have been reviewed by the Fire marshal, the state fire marshal, the CT State Police forensics group, the National auto safety board, 5 engineers from GM; all of whom seem pretty sure that the Volt did not cause the fire. A state electrical investigator spent 4 hours examining the wiring to the Suzuki charger and gave it a clean bill of health.
Baldwin further told us that GM’s people came and retrieved the cars, and they are still analyzing the burned vehicles.

“They took the cars,” he said, “it’s done.”


Full article at the link
 
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#2 ·
Pretty much as I figured. I'm still betting the wiring in the garage though.
 
#3 ·
If it had been a Prius in that garage, they would've still blamed the Volt.

I'm pleased to see that the cars were cleared of blame, but still would like to know what could cause such an unexpected event.
 
#20 ·
If it had been a Prius in that garage, they would've still blamed the Volt.



I'm pleased to see that the cars were cleared of blame, but still would like to know what could cause such an unexpected event.
:rotf: Now that is funny right there.
 
#15 ·
Um the volt is an electric car with a boat load of Lion battery's. It's not crazy to think those could of caused a fire. Look at all the laptop battery recalls. Not to mention all the other brand new electrical systems. New cars have unforeseen problems.
 
#17 ·
Let's just keep this investigation open. We know Government Motors' engineering department is weak these days. They spent four years with the Shamaro and still couldn't get it right when it was launched - things that should have been detected during shakedown were discovered in production.
 
#28 ·
Will a volcano that has a 10 year history of not erupting not erupt?

I would still say that there's less chance of a vehicle built by a major automaker causing the fire than, again, a home-built EV sitting in an ancient garage with ancient wiring.
 
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