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To: Tom Clarke who wrote (421945)	4/19/2011 8:46:05 AM
From: Tom Clarke	Respond to of 793851

Firefighters, GM Engineers Return As Chevrolet Volt Smolders In Garage Destroyed Last Week In Fire By JANICE PODSADA, jpodsada@courant.com The Hartford Courant 8:36 PM EDT, April 18, 2011 Engineers from General Motors Corp. and insurance representatives investigating whether a Chevrolet Volt or its charging station caused a fire last week that destroyed a garage in Barkhamsted were surprised Monday when the unplugged hybrid electric car began smoldering, four days after the early morning blaze. Firefighters returned to the garage about 6 a.m. Monday after smoke emerged from underneath the Volt. The car had not been moved since last Thursday's fire, which also destroyed a second vehicle, a 1987 Suzuki Samurai that the Volt's owner had converted to electric power, fire officials said. GM engineers were back in Barkhamsted Monday night to reinspect the vehicle. "The rekindle this morning really adds to the mystery," Barkhamsted Fire Marshal Bill Baldwin said Monday. The owner, identified as Storm Connors, is a volunteer firefighter who lists his occupations as a training consultant at Teracom Training Institute and a magician and clown. A YouTube video (bit.ly/fiPTji) and other information online (http://stormselectric.blogspot.com and evalbum.com describe his interest in electric vehicles and how he converted the Suzuki Samurai to run on electricity. In an online electric-vehicle album, Connors says his wife calls it "Sparky." The Volt and the Suzuki had been plugged in for recharging last Thursday when a fire broke out in the homeowner's attached garage on Center Hill Road. Connors could not be reached for comment Monday. "We still remain pretty confident that the blaze was not started by the Volt," Rob Peterson, a GM spokesman, said Monday. He said that GM has not had any similar problems with Volts. General Motors has sold about 1,500 Volts since the plug-in electric hybrid was introduced last December. The Volt is considered an electric hybrid because it includes a small gas-powered motor that can be used to recharge the car's electric battery. The Volt's lithium-ion battery pack has a range of about 40 miles. "The vehicles had been left in the garage for investigators and insurers to review when a second incident occurred [Monday]," Doug Parks, GM's global electric vehicle executive, said in a statement Monday. "Smoke was seen coming from the damaged Volt and the fire department responded quickly," Parks said the automaker's engineers have inspected the Volt, and their findings indicate that the vehicle was damaged by the fire, but was not the cause. "While the Volt's battery pack sustained damage, it was not extensive enough or of the type that would suggest that it caused the fire," Parks said. "In addition, there is clear evidence based on moderate damage to the cord set and charging system that neither component caused the fire." The carmaker said it fully supports the fire marshal's investigation, which is continuing. courant.com