Electric car fire in Covina IKEA garage forces evacuations

A Covina IKEA store and its underground garage were evacuated Saturday after an electric vehicle caught fire, according to authorities. The Los Angeles County Fire Department said the EV ignited in the store’s garage during the morning hours, prompting evacuations and evacuation warnings for the surrounding area. Officials said there are no known ongoing threats at this time and that residents were moved out out of an “abundance of caution.” Fire specialists noted that lithium-ion battery fires tend to burn hotter and longer than typical fires, creating different challenges for firefighters.