October 1, 2024 11:34 am iStockphoto / Mikhail Mironov / baileystock The damage suffered by Siesta Key due to storm surge from Hurricane Helene is unlike anything ever seen in this area in modern times. Case in point, a home valued at around $6 million on Siesta Key burned down after storm surge (saltwater) entered the home’s garage and their Tesla Model X Plaid caught fire and took the entire home down with it. My family moved to Siesta Key in the 1950s and I was born and raised in this exact area. Truly, we could walk down this street and around the area and I could give you a rundown of which businesses were built when, what’s new, what is ‘old Siesta Key,’ and so on and so forth. And I’m telling you I have never seen anything in this area quite like the damage from Hurricane Helene on Siesta Key. This Hurricane Helene Tesla fire was caught on the family’s Nest home camera. Sadly, this was preventable and could have been avoided as Siesta Key locals were (1) under mandatory evacuation and (2) made aware that Teslas could catch fire from saltwater storm surge. While the car was not plugged in the saltwater storm surge estimated at between 6 to 8 inches at the time of the fire was still enough to trigger the massive blaze on Peacock Road near the South Bridge (Stickney Pt.) on Siesta Key in Sarasota. According to Zillow, the home was valued at $5.962 million with a range of $5.25M – $6.80M and it was last sold in 2021 for around $4,45 million. That’s an increase in value of $1.512 in under 3 years up until this Tesla fire from Hurricane Helene. Just unreal. A fellow local took this video from across the intracoastal/bay from the mainland side where they could see the Tesla fire triggered by Hurricane Helene storm surge raging: Siesta Key, my BF filmed this from her house on the bay. Island was evacuated and county wanted all EV‘s off island but these owners were out of town and the Tesla was in the garage. #Hurricane #hurricanehelene pic.twitter.com/xabOxhluSf