PARKER, Colo. — Both directions of South Parker Road were closed for hours near The Pinery after a Telsa caught fire and then the flames spread to grass nearby, according to South Metro Fire Rescue.
All lanes reopened around 3:30 p.m.
The fire was reported in the area of 6001 South Parker Road around 11:30 a.m. which is just north of The Pinery. It's not clear what caused the vehicle to catch fire, but no injuries were reported.
According to South Metro Fire Rescue, the grass fire was contained. A camera from the Colorado Department of Transportation showed thick black smoke billowing from the median between the north and southbound lanes of Parker Road.
Electric vehicle fires are much harder to put out than other fires because water can't be used on them. Instead, crews have to use a special blanket to deprive the fire of oxygen. Still, it can take more than 12 hours for the fires to fully burn out.
Initially, crews planned to have the vehicle cool down and then have it towed away, but instead, they've taken the blanket off and are letting it burn itself out before towing it away.
Around 3 p.m. the vehicle had cooled enough for it to be loaded on a truck and towed away. The blanket remained on the vehicle to make sure there were no flare-ups as it was towed away.
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