According to a report by Business Insider, Omar Awan died on Sunday after his Tesla spun out of control, hitting several trees before bursting into flames. Local police, who arrived after the flames had begun, were unable to extend the Tesla's retractable door handles.
Tesla later issued a formal apology and statement.
"We are deeply saddened by this accident and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. We have reached out to the local authorities to offer our cooperation. We understand that speed is being investigated as a factor in this crash, and know that high-speed collisions can result in a fire in any type of car, not just electric vehicles."
The vehicle had reignited while it was being towed, this time due to a ruptured battery. This is the second time that Telsa has gone under scrutiny for unsafe battery status in the event of an accident. A few months ago, a young man died in a high-speed crash. The parents sued the company for failure to produce a safely crashable battery system.
They estimated that the car was traveling between 75 and 90 mph. The posted speed limit was 50. For what that's worth.
Lethal Tesla accidents are exceedingly uncommon. The brand has developed a reputation for its outstanding safety measures in their vehicles. Though I suppose anything is lethal at high enough speeds.
