The lone survivor of the tragic incident fought to open the door of the electric vehicle.
Four people tragically lost their lives when the Tesla they were traveling in caught fire following a crash.
The tragic incident took place in Toronto, Canada, on October 24, resulting in the deaths of Jay Sisodiya, Digvijay Patel, Neelraj Gohil, and his sister Ketaba Gohil. The victims were between the ages of 26 and 32.
It is believed that the driver of the Tesla lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a guardrail. The electric car then caught fire, trapping the occupants inside as they attempted to escape.
One person survived the tragic incident, a 25-year-old woman, who was rescued by Canada Post employee Rick Harper. Harper smashed a window to help her escape from the Tesla. It’s believed that she had been attempting to get out, but the car’s electronic doors wouldn’t open, prompting Harper to break the window in order to save her.
Recalling the harrowing incident, Harper shared with the Toronto Star: “You couldn’t open the doors. I would assume the young lady would have tried to open the door from the inside because she was pretty desperate to get out.”
He continued, “I don’t know if it was the battery or what, but she couldn’t get out.”
Harper was unaware of the other occupants in the vehicle, as the car was engulfed in smoke, making it impossible for him to see them.
Randy Schmitz, a captain with the Calgary Fire Department and chairman of the Alberta Vehicle Extrication Association, explained that electric vehicles (EVs) like Teslas have electric doors that require power to operate. He noted that if a car is involved in a crash and loses power, the doors may become “inoperable using the normal buttons.”
While the cause of the collision remains unclear, it is believed that the intensity of the fire was related to the car’s battery.
Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop told CBC: “Certainly the intensity of the fire is directly linked to the battery cells in the Tesla.”
This tragic incident follows Tesla’s claims that its cars are the “safest in the world.”
A safety report issued by Tesla stated: “Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y have achieved among the lowest overall probability of injury of any vehicles ever tested by the U.S. government’s New Car Assessment Program.”
The report highlighted that this safety record is largely due to the rigid, fortified structure of the battery pack mounted to the car’s floor. This design provides the vehicle with exceptional strength, large crumple zones, and a uniquely low center of gravity. Tesla’s battery packs are noted for rarely incurring serious damage in accidents.
In the event of a fire, the report emphasized that the state-of-the-art design of the battery packs ensures the safety system works as intended, isolating the fire to specific areas within the battery while venting heat away from the passenger cabin and vehicle.
