Two cars collided in Richmond, cutting a nearby power line pole and ejecting an EV battery pack from the car.
A section of Garden City Road was closed for much of Tuesday night after two cars collided near a Walmart.
A video that has gone viral on social media shows a black SUV crashing into a white sedan at an intersection, flipping over and severing a nearby utility pole.
Video posted by Clement Chew richmond newssaid the incident was caught on his wife’s rear-vehicle camera shortly after she turned into the street.
Cpl. Richmond RCMP spokesperson Dennis Huang said: richmond news A collision occurred between a “late Audi SUV” and a “late Toyota sedan”.
Huang said, “The Audi battery pack, which is an EV, was ejected outside the vehicle and burned.
“Inherent safety concerns from a collapsed power line and battery pack fire necessitated that the area be cordoned off until it is safe and proper repairs can be made.”
The 31-year-old Audi driver was not seriously injured, but the 49-year-old Toyota driver was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both drivers were from Richmond.
“We are actively investigating this collision and are in the preparation stage. All we can say is that speed was a factor,” Huang said.
“The safety of our community was at the forefront during the entire incident. To our knowledge, this is the first time an EV battery pack has been ejected after a crash.”
If you have information or dashcam footage, please contact the Richmond RCMP to cite the file: #2023-3281.
