Overview

• The fire began Monday when battery cells fell from a first-floor conveyor into a shaft, igniting the ground-floor transport system, according to local authorities.
• Access to the affected building was restricted to the plant fire brigade and specialist cleaning crews in full protective gear, with the evacuation in place since Monday afternoon.
• Fire crews extinguished the blaze after several hours, and authorities said firefighting water was contained within the building to prevent contamination.
• The Brandenburg environment office reported 512 cells were affected, production was halted, drive unit assembly resumed Tuesday, and battery-pack assembly remained offline.
• Tesla has opened an internal investigation and is coordinating with district and environmental regulators while a specialist firm handles cleanup of firefighting residue.