Vehicles the U.S. Secret Service had rented for President Joe Biden and his family during their Thanksgiving holiday burst into flames on Monday at the Nantucket Airport, officials said Tuesday.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told NBC News that the vehicles that caught on fire were rented from Hertz and returned after the Secret Service was finished using them. The Secret Service was not involved and had no information on why it occurred, the spokesman said.
Biden and his family did not ride in any of the vehicles that caught fire on Monday, Guglielmi added to the outlet. Those cars were used to transport Secret Service agents and staff on the island.
The Nantucket Airport confirmed the fire late on Monday, posting a photo of the charred vehicles. It said that around 5:22 a.m. on Monday, airport staff observed an “active fire in the rental car overflow area” before the local fire department responded.
“Staff activated the Alert system and responded to the fire in Airport-3, where they were met by responding units from Nantucket Fire Department and Nantucket Police Department,” it said.
“Combined fire resources responded and contained the fire. Several vehicles were damaged. The Airport is currently coordinating with rental car agencies and agency partners to ensure scene safety, There is no longer an active fire at this time: the Airport is open, and aeronautical operations are not affected,” the statement added.
The Nantucket Current posted photos of the rental vehicles used by the Secret Service. They included a Chevy Suburban, Ford Explorer, Ford Expedition, Jeep Gladiator, and an Infiniti QX80. It noted that the Expedition was under a battery recall.
Biden spent the holiday weekend in Nantucket with members of his family, including Ashley and Hunter Biden. When asked by reporters about his 2024 plans, Biden said he has had no discussions about a possible presidential run.
Biden visited the Nantucket Fire Department on Thanksgiving and gave out food to the first responders.
“I want to say thanks to the firefighters and police officers, first responders. They never take a break,” he said during a phone call to NBC about coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. “We remember them every single day.”
The president returned to Washington on Sunday, and he visited a semiconductor plant in Bay City, Michigan on Tuesday. Later this week, Biden will host French President Emmanuel Macron for the first state visit of his administration.
The Epoch Times has contacted the Secret Service for comment.
From The Epoch Times
