Fire erupted from a parked Toyota Prius hybrid at the Skyview Motel in Los Alamos early Monday morning. As a result, both the Prius and another vehicle parked a few feet away were totaled, according to Captain Scott Safechuck, a spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The fire started around 6:15 a.m. on the 9100 block of Highway 101 and was knocked out by 6:51 am.
No injuries were reported and the hotel was unscathed. The fire department responded in time to prevent a nearby tree and an adjacent wooden fence from completely catching fire, although said foliage and fence did sustain some minor burns.
Safechuck reported that the fire involved the Prius’s hybrid battery cell. Flames from the Prius spread to the nearby vehicle, but the actual cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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