ON MAY 30, 2015, OUR HOME BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE CERTAIN THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS MY 2010 PRIUS - THEY KNOW THE FIRE STARTED IN THE REAR OF THE GARAGE, THE ONLY OTHER ITEM IN THAT AREA WAS A BICYCLE. ARSON, FAULTY WIRING AND ACCIDENTS WERE RULED OUT. INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE, BUT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED AN ARC BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE RELAY SWITCH. MY HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE CARRIER (ERIE) IS TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY SHOULD EXPEND THE ADDITIONAL $1,500 TO OPEN THE RELAY SWITCH BOX TO SEE IF THEY CAN DETERMINE IF THE ARC WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, OR A RESULT. FROM THE VIDEO FOOTAGE, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE WATER BEING POURED ONTO THE GARAGE INCREASED THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE MAGNESIUM BATTERY. THESTARPRESS.COM HAS ALL THE VIDEO: HTTP://WWW.THESTARPRESS.COM/VIDEOS/NEWS/2015/06/03/28436619/ WE WERE TRAPPED IN AN UPSTAIRS BEDROOM FOR 40 MINUTES - AND GIVEN UP FOR DEAD BEFORE THE 911 OPERATORS HEARD MY LABORED BREATHING OVER THE STILL-OPEN PHONE LINE. A HEROIC FIREFIGHTER THREW HIMSELF THROUGH THE WALL OF OUR SECOND-STORY BEDROOM TO RESCUE US. MY HUSBAND WAS NOT BREATHING WHEN HE WAS REMOVED FROM HOME, BUT WE HAVE BOTH RECOVERED. WE HAD BEEN OUT TO DINNER EARLIER IN THE EVENING, BUT THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. I HAVE HEARD OF MANY OTHER PRIUS FIRES, AND WANTED TO ALERT YOU TO OUR EXPERIENCE.