‘I Am Going to Die:’ Driver Trapped in Burning Tesla by Inoperative Door Handles Pleaded for Help from 911

“I can’t get out, please help me,” Tremblett told the emergency operator, according to the lawsuit. “It’s on fire. Help please. I am going to die.”

The lawsuit alleges that despite surviving the initial impact of the collision in Easton, Massachusetts, Tremblett was unable to open the electrically powered doors on his Tesla vehicle. His remains were later discovered in the back seat. According to the complaint, Tremblett was trapped inside the Tesla and died from burns and smoke inhalation before rescuers could reach him.

This case represents the latest in a series of lawsuits alleging that drivers or passengers died after being unable to exit their Tesla vehicles following crashes. The incident adds to growing concerns about electric door systems, which can fail and trap occupants inside vehicles, particularly after collisions.

Previous reporting by Bloomberg News uncovered at least 15 deaths in a dozen separate incidents over the past decade in which occupants or rescuers were unable to open the doors of crashed Teslas that had caught fire. Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the latest lawsuit.

Tesla vehicles operate with two separate battery systems: a low-voltage battery that controls interior functions including windows, doors, and the touchscreen, and a high-voltage pack that powers the vehicle. When the low-voltage battery dies or becomes disabled, the doors may not unlock automatically and must be operated manually from inside using mechanical releases. However, many Tesla owners and passengers are unfamiliar with the location or operation of these manual release mechanisms.

The company has begun taking steps to address these safety concerns. In September, a top Tesla executive announced that the company was working on redesigning its door handles. By December, Tesla had updated its website to indicate that after a serious collision is detected, hazard lights will activate to increase visibility and “doors will automatically unlock for emergency access.”

Breitbart News reported that the company was sued over claims that defective doors on a crashed Cybertruck in Piedmont, California, created a “death trap” by preventing three college students from escaping before they died of smoke inhalation:

The Tsukaharas’ attorney, Roger Dreyer, described the incident as a “horror story” and accused Tesla of being aware of the issue but failing to address it adequately. “Tesla knows that it’s happened and that it’s going to happen, and they are doing nothing but selling the car with a system that entraps people and doesn’t provide a way of extraction,” Dreyer said in an interview.

The lawsuit cites more than 30 examples of publicized problems with Tesla’s door systems and alleges that Krysta Tsukahara survived the initial crash but was unable to escape due to the electronic door release system’s failure following the loss of power. She ultimately died from smoke inhalation and burns.

The issue has attracted international regulatory attention. Electric handles, which Tesla popularized and are now featured in dozens of models from various automakers, have come under global scrutiny in recent months. China has issued new safety rules banning concealed exterior handles and requiring mechanical releases. European regulators have indicated their intention to accelerate rulemaking on the matter.

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed in September that it was investigating possible defects in certain Model Y SUVs, citing incidents where exterior handles stopped functioning and trapped children and other occupants inside. In December, NHTSA announced it would evaluate a request for a defect probe filed by a Georgia man who had to kick his way out of his burning Model 3 sedan.

Read more at Bloomberg here.