And my responses have been that this is unique to Tesla/EVs because of how the battery is configured. This doesn't happen to ICE vehicles, where there is a risk of random reignition hours or a day later. What if a bodyshop was starting to repair a vehicle in an accident earlier and either their business and all customer cars go up in flames, or seriosly injures the person working on it? Does that sound like a safe car to you? That was my point. The OP was saying that 12 fires in 5 years is safe, but the bigger issue is why these vehicles are REIGNITING at all hours later. There should be something put in place to not allow that to happen.
Lithium-ion batteries have the unfortunate quality of containing everything needed to sustain a fire, as well as potentially becoming a source of heat, if shorted. This is unlike gasoline, where you need both air and an external source of heat to get a fire started.
This is why it's important for first responders to the scene of an accident involving an EV on fire to follow the procedures specified by the manufacturer. For Tesla, this is:
1. The battery pack needs to be cooled with water until the entire pack is at ambient temperatures.
2. You have to wait for a bit, and then verify that the pack is still cool with an infrared camera, before starting to move the car or anything like that.
3. The car has to be stored outdoors for a number of days, away from other vehicles.
I don't know for sure if the procedures were followed, but if they weren't, that's an error on the side of the first responders. They might need better training or more experience.
Also, if it isn't completely obvious - an EV with pack damage shouldn't be anywhere near a body shop - first the manufacturer has to remove the pack and either fully discharge it before scrapping it, or repair it.