Trapped and Burning: Horror Tesla Crash Claims Lives of Three, Including Two Nine-Year-Old Children, as Electric Door Handles are Blamed
- Three people, including two young children, have died in a Tesla Model S crash in Germany after being trapped inside the burning vehicle.
- Witnesses claim the electric door handles hindered rescue attempts, leaving the victims unable to escape.
- This tragic incident has reignited concerns over the safety of electric door handles, which can be notoriously difficult to open in emergency situations.
Zachariah reports that a devastating car accident in Germany has resulted in the loss of three lives, including two nine-year-old children, after they became trapped in a burning Tesla Model S. The horrific incident occurred earlier this month when the vehicle crashed into a tree, with all but one of the occupants unable to escape the inferno.
Local newspaper Ruhr News reveals that a witness attempted to rescue those trapped, but the car’s electric door handles made it impossible. “I just took the fire extinguisher and ran over,” the distraught witness told local media. “But… it didn’t help. I wanted to save people. I tried to open the car, but that didn’t work either.”
The Tesla Model S, which is no longer available in Australia, features powered flush-fitting door handles designed to pop out when the airbags deploy. However, in this case, the handles failed to function, leaving the occupants trapped. Only one of the nine-year-old children managed to free themselves and was airlifted to hospital.
This tragedy has sparked renewed concerns over the safety of electric door handles, which can be notoriously difficult to open in emergency situations. In fact, Chinese regulators are considering banning flush-fitting exterior door handles from 2027 due to safety concerns. Furthermore, owners of vehicles with non-mechanical interior door buttons are being urged to familiarise themselves and their children with emergency exit procedures.
This is not the first incident of its kind. In November 2024, four people in Canada died after being unable to escape a burning Tesla Model Y that had crashed. Similarly, there have been reports of people and animals being trapped in Cadillac and Chevrolet vehicles with non-mechanical interior door buttons.
In light of these incidents, Tesla’s design boss, Franz von Holzhausen, has announced that the company is looking at ways to combine the electric door handles with a more intuitive mechanical release.
The shocking details of this accident serve as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritising safety in vehicle design. As the investigation into this tragic incident continues, one thing is clear: the lives lost in this horrific crash will not be forgotten.