Solar car explodes at Corvallis Fair

News re-cap on local summer news item that has been popular on the web.

Nick Sitts heard a pop and bailed out—seconds before his car exploded. “With every solar vehicle, you have to be able to get out in 10 seconds,” said Hai Yue Han, co-captain of the Oregon State University Solar Vehicle Team. Thankfully, Sitts, 23, knew the dangers involved in driving a solar-powered vehicle and made it out in time—though not without first and second-degree burns on his arms and face. He was driving in the da Vinci Days parade in Corvallis on Saturday, July 16th. No one else was injured.

The explosion was probably caused by one of 28 battery packs aboard the vehicle shorting out. Thankfully, some repair work had just been done to make it easier to exit the car. Sitts managed to get out in less than five seconds, and after being treated at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, was released later that afternoon.
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