B.C. Tesla driver kicks out window to escape car fire
Firefighters are investigating the cause of a dangerous fire that briefly trapped a Vancouver-area man inside a Tesla.
Jamil Jutha said he was driving towards Mountain Highway in North Vancouver at 10 a.m. Friday when the 2021 Model Y that he purchased just eight months ago suddenly shut down and lost power to all the electronic components.
"The doors wouldn't open. The windows wouldn't go down,” Jutha said.
With toxic smoke beginning to fill the cabin through the air vents, Jutha began to panic and quickly made the decision to break his way out of the car.
"Of course, there's always going to be panic in a moment when you feel trapped,” he said. "I kicked through the window, climbed out and called 911 right away."
Once safely outside, he asked some construction workers from a nearby job site to help him direct traffic around the burning car because he feared the battery might explode.
The fire eventually made its way into the interior of the car with visible flames shooting up in the air as the fire department arrived to put it out.
"We're very fortunate that this individual had the wherewithal and the strength to kick the window out,” said Chief Brian Hutchinson, with the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.
Fire investigators are set to examine the vehicle on Tuesday to try to determine a cause before handing the wreck over to ICBC.
Under normal circumstances, the doors on a Tesla Model Y open electronically with the touch of a button.
There is a mechanical release available for use in an emergency but Jutha said it is not entirely intuitive and can be difficult to figure out in an urgent situation.
The entire section of the door which has the window control switches on it is actually a lever that lifts up to open the door in situations where the car has lost power.
Jutha hopes his experience will encourage other Tesla owners to familiarize themselves with the feature before they find themselves in a situation where they really need it.
CTV News reached out to Tesla for comment on the situation but the company did not respond.
Jutha’s car is likely a write-off and he says another Tesla is not on his shortlist as he shops for a replacement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Poilievre-led government 'would never' use notwithstanding clause on abortion, his office says
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
BREAKING 6 injured in Sharbot Lake, Ont. crash; 2 in life-threatening condition
Ontario Provincial Police say six people have suffered severe injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Sharbot Lake, Ont, including two in life-threatening condition.