Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas?

AutoBlog: Fisker Karma to blame for garage fire in Texas?

2012 Fisker KarmaAll the Justin Bieber in the world doesn't seem like enough for Fisker to catch a break. First it was a 2012 Fisker Karma spectacularly crapping out on Consumer Reports. Now a Texas fire investigator has said that a house fire originated with the plug-in hybrid, according to AutoWeek.

The fire consumed the car while doing "substantial damage" to the garage and spreading to the suburban Houston home, but nobody was injured in the blaze. According to the report, two other vehicles parked in the garage, an Acura NSX and Mercedes-Benz SUV, were also damaged. Estimates of the extent of the destruction were said to be $100,000, not including the damage to the other cars – and we're assuming not including the Karma either, given that the six-figure car was a complete loss, according to the report.

The fire started within three minutes of the Karma being parked in the garage, after the owner said he smelled burning rubber. According to the report, the car had not yet been plugged in to charge. The Karma is said to be new enough that it was built after the battery recall, and the report indicates that the battery pack survived the fire intact.

Though the Fort Bend County chief fire investigator told AW that "the Karma was the origin of the fire," and that it resembled a golf cart fire, something that happens roughly 50 times a year in the area, the incident is still being investigated.

When contacted for comment, Fisker's response was to tell AutoWeek not to jump to any conclusions: "There are conflicting reports and uncertainty surrounding this particular incident. The cause of the fire is not yet known and is being investigated."

The automaker then went on to speculate about "fraud or malicious intent," stating that "fireworks were found in the garage" and that "an electrical panel located in the garage... is also being examined," according to the report. Fisker also told AW that it believes the car's battery pack "does not appear to have been a contributing factor in this incident."