The Scene
Franklin, Tennessee doesn’t usually get Fast & Furious energy at one in the morning, but early Saturday, the Rivian dealership on 5th Avenue North went up like a lithium-powered campfire. Fire crews got the call at 1:19 a.m. — four electric vehicles outside the building were fully engulfed and the flames were sneaking into the service bay.
Picture it: four shiny Rivians parked out front, suddenly turning into the world’s most expensive bonfire. Smoke, sparks, battery pops — the works. Somewhere, a Tesla owner probably felt a cold chill down their spine.
The Cavalry Arrives
Franklin Fire rolled deep. Tower 1, Tower 2, Tower 6, Ladder 4, Ladder 8, Engine 1, Engine 2, Rescue 2, Air 7 — basically if it had wheels and a siren, it was there. They even brought District Captains, the Battalion Chief, and the rehab crew from Williamson County Fire/Rescue Box 94. That’s an all hands on deck situation, not your average backyard grill-out.
The firefighters got the blaze contained fast, saving most of the building before it could turn into a Rivian-branded funeral pyre. But the tricky part came after — those EV battery packs can reignite or keep smoldering like a bad ex that won’t quit texting you back.
So, the crews stayed for four more hours babysitting the cars and cooling the batteries with something called a Turtle Nozzle — which, yes, sounds like a Mario Kart item, but it’s actually specialized gear to handle electric vehicle fires.
The Aftermath
One firefighter got sent to the hospital for a quick check-up (he’s fine now), and everyone else came out safe. The building? A little smoky but standing strong. The four Rivians? Toast. Full crispy mode.
Fire Marshal Andy King said they’re still investigating, but early signs point to one vehicle that was plugged in and probably kicked things off. Once it caught, it spread to the others faster than shots on Broadway.
No official damage total yet, but considering Rivians start around $70K a pop, this wasn’t a cheap night for anyone.
The Takeaway
King gave his team props for shutting it down before it got worse, and he’s not wrong — EV fires are brutal. They burn hotter, longer, and take forever to extinguish. You can’t just dump water on them and call it a day; it’s more like trying to put out a barbecue that runs on rocket fuel.
But the Franklin Fire crew came through like pros, saving the building and avoiding what could’ve been a total meltdown (literally). Franklin Police, Williamson Health EMS, and the county fire crew also stepped in to keep things under control.
Final Thoughts
It was one of those wild late-night calls where everything could’ve gone sideways, but instead, the fire department turned it into a clinic.
Four Rivians went full inferno, the firefighters owned it, and everyone went home safe. Except for the EVs — they’re now somewhere between “total loss” and “modern art.”
Moral of the story: plug in your electric car, but maybe don’t leave it charging overnight next to its buddies. Those things clearly don’t play well together.