In a daring rescue, a motorist sustained severe burns pulling his 19-month-old granddaughter from the back seat as his brand-new hybrid car went up in flames and exploded.
Seeing smoke, David Butler, a retired engineer at 67, sprang into action. His wife Anne, also 67, had turned back to witness the horror. The rear seat, where their toddler sat in a baby seat, was engulfed in flames, intense "as if someone had poured petrol on a barbecue."
With a screeching halt, Butler scrambled to reach his granddaughter, Lilly. Much to his chagrin, the rear door of their Volvo XC40, which could run on both gasoline and electric power, refused to budge.
Volvo XC40 Catches Fire, Child Rescued
Undeterred by the smoke and flames, he clambered back into the front seat and, with a determined reach, managed to unbuckle and free his granddaughter. "Fortunately, I managed to feel for the seat release and dragged her out of the car," he said in a Facebook post.
"As I did this, the hybrid battery exploded, igniting the fuel tank and filling the car with flames. I managed to get out but was on fire," he added.
Road maintenance workers joined Butler in pulling his granddaughter to safety. He was rushed to the hospital with severe burns covering 60 percent of his body. Lilly, too, required medical attention.
Urging caution, David Butler, whose heroism saved his granddaughter, has a message for drivers who believe electric vehicles are entirely risk-free: "Think again."
Lilly's mother, Sasha Caffrey, 32, echoed this sentiment, praising his bravery, writing: "What an amazing man. Cannot thank you enough Dave Butler for getting our Lilly out of that car."
Sharing a photo on Facebook of a bandaged but determined Lilly enjoying ice cream in the hospital, Sasha Caffrey, partner of Terry Butler (Mr and Mrs Butler's youngest son, 32), wrote a heartfelt message: "You saved our little girl from an awful situation."
"You are our hero and we hope you get better real soon. Lilly needs her granddad cuddles," she added.
Are Electric Cars Completely Safe?
Lilly's maternal grandfather, Michael Caffrey, 59, said: "It's terrifying what happened and (what might have happened) doesn't bear thinking about if Dave and those two lads hadn't got her out of the car."
"It's shocking that this can happen with an electric car," Michael said. "You have to ask whether they are safe. It's very scary." Michael recalled his daughter Sasha called on the way to the hospital, and her heart was breaking.
Describing the dramatic incident which occurred on Monday in Hindley Green, Greater Manchester, involving a Volvo XC40 petrol-electric hybrid in a Facebook post, Butler revealed he had just taken delivery of the £40,000 car the prior week after a six-month wait.
In 2019, Volvo introduced the XC40 as their first model with native Android Auto functionality. However, a recent incident involving Butler and his granddaughter in a Volvo XC40 raises questions about potential fire safety concerns with the vehicle.
"The car exploded whilst carrying my 19-month-old granddaughter and wife," Butler said. Further explaining the incident, he said: "When she saw smoke, I tried to open the rear door, but it would not open. I jumped back in to rescue the little one, but in less than 10 seconds, the car was filled with smoke, and I could not see her."
"Fortunately, I managed to feel for the seat release and dragged her out of the car. As I did this, the hybrid battery exploded, igniting the fuel tank. I managed to get out but was on fire. My granddaughter is in a children's hospital, and I am in a burns unit with 60% burns to my arm, head and back. So, if you still think that electric cars are safe, then think again," Butler added sternly.
The XC40 isn't the only electric vehicle facing scrutiny. Electric vehicles, in general, are coming under increased examination for various safety concerns. Tesla, for instance, has had safety concerns surrounding the Cybertruck design. In May, a Tesla owner reported being stuck in her car for 40 minutes while the car's software updated in a Chick-fil-A parking lot.
