Home / Disasters and Accidents / Deadly Tesla Fire: 'I can't get out,' he cried
Deadly Tesla Fire: 'I can't get out,' he cried
8 Feb
Summary
- A grieving mother filed suit alleging defective Tesla door handles
- Her son died calling 911, trapped in a burning electric car
- Seventeen other reports cited passengers trapped in Teslas
The family of Samuel Tremblett, a 20-year-old college student, has initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla. Tremblett tragically died in October in Easton, Massachusetts, when his 2021 Model Y crashed and subsequently erupted into flames, trapping him inside. His mother, Jacquelyn Tremblett, filed the suit in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, alleging that Tesla's electronic door handles are defective and unreasonably dangerous.
According to the complaint, Tremblett called 911 immediately after the crash, expressing his panic and inability to escape the burning vehicle. He reportedly told the dispatcher, "I can't get out, please help me," and "I can't breathe," acknowledging he was "dying." Firefighters struggled for four hours to extinguish the blaze, reporting at least four explosions.
The lawsuit asserts that Tesla's electric door handles fail to operate during electrical system failures, a critical safety hazard. The complaint also points to seventeen other reports between 2016 and 2025 where Tesla vehicle occupants were allegedly trapped after crashes. The family accuses Tesla of misrepresenting its emphasis on safety to consumers.
