A father is counting his blessings after his Tesla reportedly caught fire while he was out driving on a busy California highway May 6.
Bishal Malla was running errands in his Tesla Saturday when his car began shaking, forcing him to pull over. “The moment that I opened the door, I saw smoke coming from the bottom,” Malla told KCRA News. Concerned, Malla exited his vehicle and moved away, just before flames overtook the car. Inside, Malla revealed to the outlet, were two empty car seats that had him counting his blessings. (RELATED: Police Find Burned Body Near Tesla That Caught Fire In Los Angeles)
“I was about to go home, take the family and the kids, and go to a party,” he told KCRA, explaining that he couldn’t help but think what might have happened to his children if they had been latched into the car seats when his car went up in flames. “I’m just speechless right now,” he said.
“I’m just so lucky to be alive,” Malla continued.
The driver said he had been out running errands nearby and was about to get on Highway 99 near Cosumnes River Boulevard when he felt his car start shaking. https://t.co/mfxFl2DofV
— kcranews (@kcranews) May 7, 2023
Battalion Chief Robert Kasparian of the Cosumnes Fire Department told KCRA that there is difficulty in battling an electric vehicle fire due to the position on the batteries. (RELATED: A Tesla Model S Catches Fire, Erupts ‘Like A Flame Thrower’)
“The batteries are what are causing the enormous amount of heat buildup. A lot of times fire departments will just let the vehicle burn until it’s down to the point where they can actually access the batteries and put water or firefighting foam on the batteries themselves,” Kasparian told the outlet.
Kasparian further revealed that electric vehicle fires require longer response times and additional resources to ensure the affected vehicle doesn’t reignite when it is being cleared from the roadway.
Though investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, the experience has left Malla a bit jaded, telling the outlet he does not plan on replacing his car with another electric vehicle.