Four Rivian electric vehicles caught fire at a Tennessee service center early Saturday morning, injuring one firefighter, local authorities said.
Crews were called to the Rivian dealership and service center on 5th Avenue North in Franklin around 1:20 a.m., according to the Franklin Fire Department.
The Franklin facility serves as a dedicated service center for vehicle maintenance and repairs.
Firefighters arrived to find four electric vehicles ablaze outside the building with flames spreading into a service bay.
One firefighter was transported to an area hospital for evaluation and has since been released, local media outlet WKRN first reported. No other injuries were reported.
Extended Response Required
The fire was contained, but crews remained on scene for more than four hours to monitor and cool the vehicles’ battery packs—a time-consuming process that has become standard protocol for EV fires.
Firefighters deployed a Turtle Nozzle, specialized equipment designed to help control and extinguish electric vehicle fires by directing water beneath the vehicle to reach the battery pack.
Charging Connection Under Investigation
Investigators believe one of the vehicles was connected to a charger at the time and may have been the first to ignite, the outlet reported.
The total cost of damages has not been determined.
The Franklin location where the fire occurred is one of three Rivian facilities in the Nashville metropolitan area.
Fire at Rivian’s Plant
In August 2024, a fire broke out in a parking lot at Rivian‘s manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, damaging nearly 60 Rivian R1T electric pickup trucks and R1S electric SUVs.
Aerial photos from that incident showed a cordoned-off area with dozens of vehicles displaying fire damage.
The blaze occurred at a parking lot on the north side of the four-million-square-foot factory, located 130 miles south of Chicago.
The assembly plant itself was unaffected, and no injuries were reported.
As reported earlier this week, Rivian is investing $9.9 million in a new parts distribution center in Fort Worth, Texas.
The California-based EV maker plans to occupy 552,000 square feet at 1384 Bold Ruler Road within the Intermodal Logistics Center.
