Local authorities report that a Tesla driver and two children were killed in a vehicle fire in Germany earlier this month when rescuers were unable to open the car's electronic doors after a crash.
The fatal incident occurred on September 7 when the Tesla vehicle struck a tree and subsequently caught fire, resulting in the deaths of a 43-year-old man and two 9-year-old children. Another child managed to escape from the vehicle and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.
Nearby residents attempted to rescue the trapped occupants but were unsuccessful due to their inability to operate Tesla's retractable door handles during the emergency situation.
This incident came to light over the weekend, just days after U.S. regulatory authorities announced an investigation into approximately 174,000 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles over electronic door-related safety concerns.
Tesla vehicles feature electronic door systems that require electrical power to function. Rather than conventional handles, the doors utilize buttons that drivers and passengers press to exit the vehicle. However, during accidents, power systems may fail, rendering the door release buttons inoperable.
A similar Tesla accident was reportedly documented last year in Toronto, Canada, where four occupants died in a fire after being unable to open the doors following a collision.