Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Dual Fatality Model S Crash/Fire: Fort Lauderdale, FL May 8, 2018

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
story reported about an hour ago

Tesla Bursts Into Flames After "Violent Crash" In Switzerland, Killing Driver Trapped Inside

apparently car flipped, driver was not able to get out.

How come none of the top 20 or so results of a google search for that are a reputable news site?

Tesla Bursts Into Flames After "Violent Crash" In Switzerland, Killing Driver Trapped Inside - Google Search

Nothing but weird spam sites and the one you linked to is blocked by my work proxy.
 
umm, a 2014 Model S has door handles that will work in an emergency. Tesla doesn't have to install one because it already had one.

"Emergency Responder's Guide, page 23, says front doors can be opened from inside without power just by pulling the door handle."
from How to open front doors from inside during power loss?

also from How to open front doors from inside during power loss?

How about from outside? If power is lost, how do you get people out if people inside in unresponsive? I don't recall reading that in our Model X manual.
 
Unfortunately, I think that’s only because this happened in Europe and will be confirmed by better known sources in time. Hope I’m incorrect about that.

It happened on the tenth. It seems to only be reported on the Bellinzona fire department Facebook page and now ZeroHedge picked it up.

10 maggio - #incendio autovettura in autostrada.
L'intervento di giovedì scorso ha visti confrontati i nostri #pompierivolontari con un veicolo elettrico in fiamme. L'urto violento delle batterie agli ioni di litio potrebbe verosimilmente aver causato un fenomeno denominato #thermalrunaway, ovvero un rapido e inarrestabile aumento della temperatura.

Un interessante approfondimento sul tema lo trovate all'indirizzo Il rischio incendio nei veicoli elettrici.
#firefighting #antincendio #pompieri
FB_IMG_1526328198297.jpg
 
  • Informative
  • Disagree
Reactions: emorog and lklundin
I believe those two front persons were unconscious after impact.

Reportedly, the driver died from thermal injuries, the other from blunt force trauma and thermal injuries:

NTSB, NHTSA To Investigate Fiery Crash Of Tesla In Ft. Lauderdale

The fatality from blunt force trauma is an indication that this was a high speed impact.

Since Switzerland is suddenly on topic in this thread, I will point out that in that country a driving record like that of the deceased teenager would have lead to a two-year (or more) suspension of the driver's license.

That is also relevant when it comes to the question of why these two teenagers had to die so violently.
 
It happened on the tenth. It seems to only be reported on the Bellinzona fire department Facebook page and now ZeroHedge picked it up.

10 maggio - #incendio autovettura in autostrada.
L'intervento di giovedì scorso ha visti confrontati i nostri #pompierivolontari con un veicolo elettrico in fiamme. L'urto violento delle batterie agli ioni di litio potrebbe verosimilmente aver causato un fenomeno denominato #thermalrunaway, ovvero un rapido e inarrestabile aumento della temperatura.

Un interessante approfondimento sul tema lo trovate all'indirizzo Il rischio incendio nei veicoli elettrici.
#firefighting #antincendio #pompieriView attachment 301147

Appreciate your help seeing where ZeroHedge got started with this.

This is what I got via Google translate of that FaceBook post,

"Last Thursday's intervention saw our #pompierivolontari compared with a burning electric vehicle. The violent collision of lithium-ion batteries could probably have caused a phenomenon called #thermalrunaway, or a rapid and unstoppable increase in temperature. An interesting study on the subject can be found at the fire risk in electric vehicles. #firefighting #antincendio #pompieri"

Edit: I don't know the credibility of this next source, but, it indicates that while the accident was last week, the type of car, Tesla, was only confirmed today. Maybe someone local can comment as to how credible this source is.

Google Translate
 
Last edited:
Appreciate your help seeing where ZeroHedge got started with this.

This is what I got via Google translate of that FaceBook post,

"Last Thursday's intervention saw our #pompierivolontari compared with a burning electric vehicle. The violent collision of lithium-ion batteries could probably have caused a phenomenon called #thermalrunaway, or a rapid and unstoppable increase in temperature. An interesting study on the subject can be found at the fire risk in electric vehicles. #firefighting #antincendio #pompieri"

Edit: I don't know the credibility of this next source, but, it indicates that while the accident was last week, the type of car, Tesla, was only confirmed today. Maybe someone local can comment as to how credible this source is.

No idea where the information came from that it was a Tesla. The ZeroHedge article says it is a Tesla and refers to this FB article but clearly this article doesn't say Tesla and no way you can identify anything from that picture.
 
  • Like
Reactions: emorog
No idea where the information came from that it was a Tesla. The ZeroHedge article says it is a Tesla and refers to this FB article but clearly this article doesn't say Tesla and no way you can identify anything from that picture.

To GreenT's point we should PM or create another thread, but, to clean up some confusion already here in this thread, at the very end of post 230 I linked another story that claims today it was announced that it was a Tesla. I do not know how credible a source that link is.
 
It happened on the tenth. It seems to only be reported on the Bellinzona fire department Facebook page and now ZeroHedge picked it up.

Yes, there is indeed such a report on ticinonews.ch, a local Swiss news outlet for the Italian speaking part of Switzerland:
Incendio sul Ceneri: "Ecco perché è stato così violento" - Ticinonews

Reportedly, last Thursday a Tesla burned with its 48-year-old occupant, a German from Baden-Württemberg, inside.

Reportedly, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which hit the guardrail, overturned and started burning, leaving the driver trapped inside:
Incidente mortale sulla rampa del Ceneri - Ticinonews

Tragically, this does not look fake.
 
Last edited:
The driver was a German from Tettnang. Here the article from german newspaper:
Tödlicher Unfall mit einem Tesla im Tessin: Mann verbrennt in Wagen

This German source is quoting a local Swiss news outlet different from the linked one above. The speed is described as 'high' (which could be ambiguous for a highway), with ongoing road work nearby. There is the usual statement that Tesla is cooperating with the authorities, and that the question whether the AP was active is to be answered.

PS. Feel free to 'Dislike' my first reaction to this accident report, I appear to be unable to do so myself.
 
Yes, there is indeed such a report on ticinonews.ch, a local Swiss news outlet for the Italian speaking part of Switzerland:
Incendio sul Ceneri: "Ecco perché è stato così violento" - Ticinonews

Reportedly, last Thursday a Tesla burned with its 48-year-old occupant, a German from Baden-Württemberg, inside.

Reportedly, the driver lost control of the vehicle, which hit the guardrail, overturned and started burning, leaving the driver trapped inside:
Incidente mortale sulla rampa del Ceneri - Ticinonews

Tragically, this does not look fake.

When I saw it on the Bellinzona page I figured it wasn't fake. But how on earth did ZeroHedge come across this? They have to have serious searches going on specifically for Tesla.