Overview
- Police in Germany are examining a Sept. 7 Model S crash that burst into flames, killing a 43-year-old driver and two nine-year-olds while a third child escaped.
- A witness reported being unable to open the doors as the fire spread, saying attempts to access the cabin failed despite one side appearing less damaged.
- Firefighters struggled to suppress repeated reignitions consistent with battery thermal runaway, according to local reporting.
- Authorities have linked the powered, flush-fitting exterior handles to rescuers’ inability to access occupants, extending concerns raised in earlier fatal incidents.
- Tesla says it is developing a single-button system that combines mechanical and electronic releases, as U.S. regulators probe Model Y handles and Chinese officials weigh restricting flush designs from 2027.