Tesla catches fire in Almonte parking lot; no injuries reported

A Tesla that caught fire in a busy Almonte parking lot over the weekend has prompted a review by Transport Canada, though investigators say the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery was not compromised.

Mississippi Mills Fire Department crews were called to the Royal Bank parking lot on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.

No one was injured and no charges are expected, Deputy Fire Chief Justin Hemsley told Lanarkist on Monday.

Hemsley said the cause of the fire remains undetermined and arson is not suspected.

While electric vehicle fires have drawn increasing attention for fires resulting from batteries, Hemsley said this incident did not involve a battery failure.

“The battery was not compromised,” he explained. “We didn’t have to deal with any sort of thermal runaway in the battery itself.”

Instead, the problem appears to have originated in the vehicle’s structure and interior, according to Hemsley.

“It had to do with the overall structure of the vehicle and the cabin contents, rather than the lithium ion battery,” Hemsley said, though he noted the exact reason for the fire is unclear.

Because of the complexity of electric vehicles, the fire department’s investigation is limited in scope. Hemsley said the file may ultimately be listed as undetermined, while other agencies may pursue further analysis.

“We will be in contact with Transport Canada, just to to follow up with it, as they are also interested in some of the details around it,” he noted.

He added that insurance investigators and other governing bodies may also want to examine the vehicle.

Electric vehicles, scooters and other devices powered by lithium-ion batteries pose different risks than conventional vehicles, Hemsley said, requiring a higher degree of caution.

Hemsley explained that EV technology is still relatively new for emergency services, prompting the department to review its procedures.

“This is new for us as a department as well,” he said. “So I’m actually [writing] an email to all the guys. Key takeaways as to how we need to approach these things and how do we continue to train and improve for these situations?”

He emphasized that manufacturer guidelines for charging and storage are critical for all lithium-ion devices, though electric vehicles are built to higher safety standards than many consumer electronics.

“With all of the battery management systems on an EV, it’s a very high level product that’s going to manage that battery to try to limit any sort of thermal runaway,” he said.

Hemsley credited firefighters and members of the public for their response.

“In one of the busiest kind of buildings in Almonte, on a Saturday, it does take a lot of resources to really contain the situation,” he said. “The firefighters did a good job, and we had lots of 911 callers. All those things help.”