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
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.