A tragic accident in Toronto claimed the lives of four people when the Tesla they were travelling in crashed into a pillar and erupted in flames. A fifth person survived, thanks to the heroic actions of a bystander who smashed the car’s window to rescue a woman trapped inside the burning vehicle.
The accident happened on Lake Shore when the driver lost control, struck a guardrail, and then crashed into a concrete pillar, according to Toronto police Duty Insp. Phillip Sinclair.
Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop stated that when firefighters arrived, the car was fully engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, firefighters found four people inside the vehicle, all of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. Police later confirmed that the victims were three men, aged 26, 29, and 32, and a 30-year-old woman.
According to the bystander's account, the Tesla Model Y's electronic doors may have been responsible for trapping the passengers inside the electric vehicle after the crash, preventing them from escaping the flames.
25-Year-Old Woman Pulled From Burning Tesla
Rick Harper, the rescuer, explained in a new interview that the Tesla's doors couldn't be opened after the crash, and he assumed the trapped woman had tried to open them from the inside. He also noted that he didn't initially realise there were other passengers inside due to the thick smoke.
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Police reported that the crash on October 24 occurred when the driver lost control, hit a guardrail, and then collided with a pillar, causing the vehicle to catch fire on impact.
A 25-year-old woman was rescued from the burning car by a passing Canada Post driver. The cause of the crash and fire is still under investigation, and police have asked for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact Traffic Services.