Bend Fire & Rescue

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News Release

Garage Fire On Bend's Westside On Christmas Eve (Photo) - 12/24/25

Bend Fire & Rescue was called to a house on NW Terra Meadow Dr Christmas Eve just before 2pm for a fire in a garage. Occupants and neighbors both reported a fire in the garage. Fire crews arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. The fire was reported to be related to an electric car in the garage. During the fire neighbors were asked to shelter in place due to the possible smoke containing lithium-ion by products which can be toxic. The 2 adults and 3 dogs in the house safely evacuated prior to our arrival.
 

The fire was traced back to a failed lithium battery in an electric vehicle. The vehicle was a passenger car converted from gas to an electric vehicle. The battery failed and caught fire, spreading to the contents of the garage. The occupants and neighbors noticed the fire and quickly called 911. With little delay in getting the fire department notified and the construction of the garage, the fire was kept inside the garage. Minimal smoke damage was found throughout the house. The smoke alarms did sound but not right away as the smoke was in the garage until after the occupants opened the door ingo the garage during the incident. The house is not occupiable anymore due mostly to the damage to the home utilities that all come through the garage, but all the family’s Christmas presents and much of their personal belongings were saved from damage. Modern attached garages are built with fire barriers between the garage and the main part of the house. This includes more sheet rock and heavier duty doors leading into the house to prevent a fire in the garage from spreading into the house.

 

Bend Fire & Rescue wants to if any portion of the vehicle or charging stops working or is not working as it normally does, stop all charging immediately and have the entire system checked out by a qualified professional. This goes for cars, bikes, scooters, and all other types of electric vehicles.

Here are some safety tips for charging EVs from the US Fire Administration, a branch of FEMA:

  • Follow manufacturer’s guidelines when charging your vehicle. Check with your local dealer if you need additional information.
  • Purchase a charging device that is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
  • Plug Level I EV chargers directly into an outlet designed to handle the amperage of the charging device. Never use a multiplug adapter or extension cord.
  • Install a residual current device with the charging unit. It will turn off the power if a fault is detected and help prevent a fire.
  • Place all charging device components out of reach of children when not in use.
  • Maintain the components of your charging station according to the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. Signs of excessive wear may indicate a potential shock hazard. Never use an EV charger with obvious signs of damage.
  • Cover the EV charging station outlet to stop water from entering. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure it is safe to charge your EV in wet conditions.

 

As always, never throw any lithium batteries into the trash. These batteries will end up in the landfill where the process of trash collection, dumping, and packing into the landfill can cause the damage needed to start a fire. A fire in the landfill is a major concern of any solid waste department. This includes items with built in lithium batteries such as flashlights, alarms, and other small electronics. Contact your trash service provider, your local landfill, or many electronics stores for safe recycling options in your community.

Attached Media Files: Credit Bend Fire,

Garage Fire On Bend's Westside On Christmas Eve (Photo) - 12/24/25

Bend Fire & Rescue was called to a house on NW Terra Meadow Dr Christmas Eve just before 2pm for a fire in a garage. Occupants and neighbors both reported a fire in the garage. Fire crews arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. The fire was reported to be related to an electric car in the garage. During the fire neighbors were asked to shelter in place due to the possible smoke containing lithium-ion by products which can be toxic. The 2 adults and 3 dogs in the house safely evacuated prior to our arrival.
 

The fire was traced back to a failed lithium battery in an electric vehicle. The vehicle was a passenger car converted from gas to an electric vehicle. The battery failed and caught fire, spreading to the contents of the garage. The occupants and neighbors noticed the fire and quickly called 911. With little delay in getting the fire department notified and the construction of the garage, the fire was kept inside the garage. Minimal smoke damage was found throughout the house. The smoke alarms did sound but not right away as the smoke was in the garage until after the occupants opened the door ingo the garage during the incident. The house is not occupiable anymore due mostly to the damage to the home utilities that all come through the garage, but all the family’s Christmas presents and much of their personal belongings were saved from damage. Modern attached garages are built with fire barriers between the garage and the main part of the house. This includes more sheet rock and heavier duty doors leading into the house to prevent a fire in the garage from spreading into the house.

 

Bend Fire & Rescue wants to if any portion of the vehicle or charging stops working or is not working as it normally does, stop all charging immediately and have the entire system checked out by a qualified professional. This goes for cars, bikes, scooters, and all other types of electric vehicles.

Here are some safety tips for charging EVs from the US Fire Administration, a branch of FEMA:

  • Follow manufacturer’s guidelines when charging your vehicle. Check with your local dealer if you need additional information.
  • Purchase a charging device that is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
  • Plug Level I EV chargers directly into an outlet designed to handle the amperage of the charging device. Never use a multiplug adapter or extension cord.
  • Install a residual current device with the charging unit. It will turn off the power if a fault is detected and help prevent a fire.
  • Place all charging device components out of reach of children when not in use.
  • Maintain the components of your charging station according to the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. Signs of excessive wear may indicate a potential shock hazard. Never use an EV charger with obvious signs of damage.
  • Cover the EV charging station outlet to stop water from entering. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure it is safe to charge your EV in wet conditions.

 

As always, never throw any lithium batteries into the trash. These batteries will end up in the landfill where the process of trash collection, dumping, and packing into the landfill can cause the damage needed to start a fire. A fire in the landfill is a major concern of any solid waste department. This includes items with built in lithium batteries such as flashlights, alarms, and other small electronics. Contact your trash service provider, your local landfill, or many electronics stores for safe recycling options in your community.

Attached Media Files: Credit Bend Fire,