EV Fires in 2025: Knock It Down or Let It Burn?

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On June 16, 2025, Chesterfield County Fire and EMS responded to an overturned electric SUV that had crashed, caught fire, and went into full thermal runaway. In this video, we break down what happened, review thermal footage from the scene, and revisit the question that’s been debated for years: Do you still "let it burn" in 2025?

We’ll talk about when EV fires should be aggressively attacked—and when it’s smarter to let battery gases burn in a controlled way. You’ll hear the popping sounds of cells venting, see why access to the underside of the battery mattered in this case, and learn why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to lithium-ion fires.

Every EV is different. Every fire is different. But the strategy? It starts with understanding what you’re actually fighting.