A Tesla crashed outside an outlet mall in Bakersfield, California, ejecting the driver and resulting in a fire Wednesday.
The 35-year-old unidentified driver died as a result, according to California Highway Patrol. It also reported that the car was moving at a fast speed at the time and the driver, who wasn’t wearing a seat belt, had lost control of the electric vehicle. The driver was also alone in the car.
Tesla-involved fires are notorious for requiring several thousands of gallons of water to extinguish. A Tesla Model S that was abandoned in a California wrecking yard caught fire and required roughly 4,500 gallons of water to extinguish earlier this year.
TESLA ‘LOST A CUSTOMER’ IN ACTOR GLENN HOWERTON
California Highway Patrol did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s requests for comment.
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Captain and paramedic Parker Wilbourn told the Washington Examiner this summer that it is more like 20,000 gallons, according to Wilbourn’s conversations with other fire representatives who have extinguished Tesla-involved fires. Tesla is clear in its emergency response guide that a fire could require anywhere between 3,000 to 8,000 gallons of water to extinguish.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
A website dedicated to tracking Tesla-involved fires has recorded 134 total fires as of Oct. 21 and 38 fatalities.
