Mother Nature took out her anger on Fiat Chrysler earlier this week, using floodwaters to set hundreds of new vehicles ablaze at the Port of Savona. Italy has been subjected to savage weather this week, putting just about all of Venice underwater and blasting the rest of northern region of with extreme winds and precipitation.
According to local reports from Savona News, it was initially believed a nearby warehouse caught fire after storms caused an electrical short. However, follow-up reports claimed the fires likely broke out in the port after rising sea water caused vehicle batteries to explode.
Either way, the port was engulfed in flames by the time fire crews arrived in the early morning hours of October 29th. Roughly 1,000 vehicles were destroyed, the majority of which were new Maseratis models being shipped to the Middle East. Fortunately, no one was reported injured by the incident, though the storms took lives elsewhere.
“I thanked operators and employees of the Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority for the work they are doing in these days of emergency,” said Che regional councilor for economic development, Andrea Benveduti, during a press event.
The port has since been shut down, with cleanup progress being slowed by the overwhelming damage the rest of the region was subjected to. Damage appears to be catastrophic, as the fire converted most vehicles, including what looks to be a number of already unfortunate Fiat 500Ls, into little more than burnt-out shells. It was the second major fire to break out at the port in a week, and it may not be the last — more rain is expected in the coming days.
If the new maseratis look like the vehicles in the top photo it’s no loss.
Maseratis? Those are Fiat 500L’s in the photo…
I think those are Ferraris, not Maseratis. You can tell by the boxy shape and rear hatch.
Just threw my car battery in the ocean.
Didn’t explode.
Does anyone actually believe this story?
“using floodwaters to set hundreds of new vehicles ablaze at the Port of Savona.”.
Thought the same thing after reading the first line of the story. Must have been VERY hot water!
Same thing occurred to me. There have been a lot of cars in the USA immersed in salt water from hurricanes but combustion never seems to be a problem.
Floodwaters deposit salt that shorts out electrical systems, and the sparks ignite [flammable material or fluid here]. This happened during Sandy in 2012, too, and not just with Fiskers.
It looks like the aftermath of the Mount Vesuvius explosion in Pompeii 79 AD
All those ancient Fiat 500Ls encased in stone.
All just sitting there in that Walmart parking lot preserved for eternity. Look, there’s even a fat lady yelling at her kids frozen in mid-slap
Well since they are Italian chances are they would’ve self destruct sooner or later, whether at port or at someone’s driveway.
Fiat employees in Srbija are rejoicing, probably best single day on the market the 500L has ever had. Insurance or private customer, a sale is a sale!
some folks say that cars aren’t made as they used to be.
now this is a proper original italian electrical, when it explodes in contact with salt water!!