Firefighters in California called out Elon Musk on his own social messaging site after a Tesla spontaneously burst into flames in the middle of a luxury-car salvage yard.
Metro Fire of Sacramento posted photos and video on X, Musk’s new name for Twitter, showing crews hosing down the scorched remains of one of his other company’s electric cars in Rancho Cordova last Wednesday.
The Tesla was salvaged from flooding in Florida and had been sitting in the auto yard for a few months, waiting to be dismantled for parts, when it “spontaneously caught fire,” according to the fire department.
Crews were unable to move it to a safe location to “burn out,” so the Tesla was left where it was, “surrounded by millions of dollars in salvaged vehicles including Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bentleys,” the fire department tweeted.
Fire officials pointedly tagged Musk, who owns both Tesla and X.
The Metro Fire of Sacramento tagged Elon Musk in a tweet about a Tesla that spontaneously burst into flames. Metro Fire of Sacramento
Musk does not appear to have replied to the fire department’s trolling. REUTERSThe 52-year-old billionaire businessman has not responded to the agency’s trolling.
Several commenters jumped on the opportunity to poke fun at Musk’s automaker, with one remarking sarcastically: “Another Tesla success story.”
Others, however, rushed to Musk’s defense and blasted the fire department for tagging the CEO.
“Why tag @elonmusk when none of your other vehicle fire posts tag the CEO of the vehicle manufacturer?” one X user wondered.
The Tesla was sitting at a luxury-car salvage yard in Rancho Cordova, California, when it spontaneously combusted. Metro Fire of Sacramento
Fire crews lifted the electric vehicle on its side so they could access the source of the blaze. Metro Fire of SacramentoThis was not the first time that Sacramento firefighters had to deal with a fire-ravaged Tesla.
In January, the city’s fire crews had to use 6,000 gallons of water to extinguish the lithium-ion battery of a Tesla Model S that burst into flames while traveling on Highway 50 in Rancho Cordova.
Two fire engines, a water tender and a ladder truck were called to assist.
The Tesla was salvaged from flooding in Florida and had been at the auto yard for several months. Metro Fire of Sacramento
Firefighters could not safely move the Tesla, so they left it in the yard, surrounded by millions of dollars worth of high-end vehicles, including Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Metro Fire of SacramentoIn June 2022, another Tesla Model S caught fire in a junkyard in Rancho Cordova.
After several failed attempts to put out the inferno, crews had to dig a pit, fill it with 4,500 gallons of water and submerge the burning electric vehicle in it.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
