Update, July 21, 2:00 p.m.: Mercedes responded to our request for comment, saying that it is aware of the incident and is investigating it to determine what the appropriate next steps are. The statement has been added below.
St. Johns County Fire Rescue is investigating the cause of a fire that started in the garage of a home in Nocatee, Florida, where a 2023 Mercedes EQE350+ that was on loan from a dealership was parked.
Photos of the aftermath show that the electric luxury sedan was burned to a crisp, while the fire rose through the garage, and into the attic of the home, damaging it thoroughly. Fortunately, the homeowner was able to escape before suffering any injuries.
The EV was being used by Jennifer Ruotolo while her vehicle was in the dealership for servicing, reports News4Jax. She said the EQE had been in her garage for less than 24 hours when the fire started.
“I was at work,” said Ruotolo. “About 8:30 and my husband heard a hiss and a pop, and he went into the garage full of smoke. It engulfed in flames and exploded.”
Read: Nikola Suspects Foul Play In Fire That Engulfed Four Of Its Electric Semi Trucks
Since the EQE was a loaner, Ruotolo did not have a home charging unit, and said that the EV was not charging at the time of the fire. Fortunately, the St. Johns Fire Rescue department reports that following an “interior fire attack with multiple hand lines” it was able to bring the fire under control, and extinguish it quickly.
Unfortunately, the blaze still caused heavy damage to the household, and Ruotolo said she believes that it is a teardown. She spent much of Thursday evaluating which of her family’s personal belongings are worth saving. However, she said she’s grateful that her husband and her dog are safe.
“I feel blessed that my husband is alive,” said Ruotolo. “He was right on the next side of the wall. He could be, should be dead and he’s alive and our puppy is alive so I’m thankful for that. This could have been devastating and life changing but at this point it is just a challenge.”
For its part, Mercedes said in a statement to Carscoops that it is relieved that there are no reports of injuries, and that it has contacted the Ruotolo to learn more about the incident.
“Any time we receive a report of such an incident, we take the matter very seriously. In this case, we will work with appropriate officials and experts to immediately seek to determine the root cause so that appropriate next steps can be taken,” the automaker wrote. “Please understand that as our investigation is on-going, we are not in a position to comment further at this time.”
Meanwhile, St. Johns Fire and Rescue is examining the cause of the fire. The 2023 EQE 350 is under recall for a battery management system error that could cause the vehicle not to warn an operator if a fault exists within the high-voltage system. However, the recall revolves entirely around the warning system, not a fault that would cause an elevated risk of fire.
