Old Town

More than a dozen โ€˜GoCars' catch fire in Old Town, officials say

About 15-20 vehicles, some powered by lithium-ion batteries and others by gasoline, were on fire when crews arrived, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department

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More than a dozen "GoCars" caught fire in San Diego's Old Town neighborhood on Thursday night, officials said.

The fire was reported at GoCar Tours โ€” located at 3918 Mason St. โ€” at around 9:20 p.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

About 15-20 vehicles, some powered by lithium-ion batteries and others by gasoline, were on fire when crews arrived, SDFD Battalion Chief Chad Willenberg told NBC 7.

โ€œSome of the go-karts that were on fire are lithium-ion battery charging karts, so thatโ€™s the cause of the fire at this point โ€“ itโ€™s due to the overcharging of the lithium-ion batteries," Willenberg said.

Fire officials said the GoCar Tours property sustained minimal damage. Although nearby structures were initially threatened, none of those buildings were damaged.

No injuries were reported, SDFD said.

Willenberg said a hazmat team was on the way to help with the batteries damaged due to the fire.

Video from the scene shows multiple fire trucks, and Congress Street was blocked off between Mason Street and Taylor Street.

This is a developing story that will be updated as more information arrives.

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