Brazil Police Confirm Oliver Tree Among 6 Killed in Rio Helicopter Collision

Q: How did electric cars turn the Oliver Tree helicopter crash into a toxic, explosive inferno?

The crash became especially destructive because the helicopters came down in an electric-vehicle parking lot, where the impact fire appears to have ignited multiple lithium-ion battery packs. Once those batteries were damaged, they likely entered thermal runaway, a chain reaction in which overheating cells feed neighboring cells, producing intense heat, flames and repeated flare-ups. That helps explain why witnesses and officials described a toxic, explosive inferno. Lithium-ion batteries can vent superheated, flammable gases under pressure, creating secondary explosions and jet-like flames. Fire officials in Rio said at least 20 vehicles were engulfed, and noted that EV fires release highly toxic gases and burn hotter than conventional car fires. The batteries also made the blaze much harder to control. Unlike a typical fuel fire, a battery fire can sustain itself, reignite after appearing to be out, and requires large volumes of water mainly to cool the battery pack enough to stop the reaction. Rio fire officials said EV fires can require three to four times more water than standard vehicle fires. Investigators have not yet said exactly how the collision unfolded or which ignition source triggered the vehicle fires. But based on the crash site and the known behavior of lithium-ion batteries, the electric cars likely turned an already catastrophic helicopter crash into a larger, hotter and more toxic fire scene.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 18

Brazilian police said all six victims in Sunday’s Rio de Janeiro helicopter crash have now been identified, with the last body confirmed as American singer Oliver Tree.
Two helicopters collided mid-air over Recreio dos Bandeirantes and crashed into an electric-car dealership parking lot, where fire engulfed at least 20 vehicles before 50 firefighters contained it.
The other victims were Brazilians Lucas Brito, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and Argentinians Gaspar Prim — a 23-year-old YouTuber known as Gaspi — and Lucas Vignale.
Brazil’s Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center is investigating the cause of the crash, which happened days after Tree performed in São Paulo on his world tour.