3 killed, 1 seriously injured in Tesla Cybertruck accident in Northern California

PIEDMONT, Calif. (AP) – Three people were killed and one seriously injured early Wednesday when a Tesla Cybertruck crashed and caught fire in Northern California, officials said.

Piedmont Police Chief Jeremy Bowers said speed was likely a factor in the single-car collision, but he added that authorities will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The Cybertruck’s passengers had been returning from a “function” around 3:10 a.m. Wednesday, but Bowers would not provide further details. A person who had also been to the event but was driving in a separate car was able to pull the surviving victim out of the Cybertruck.

The chief would not release any identifying details about the victims, citing family privacy.

Although the responding police officers were unable to extinguish the flames with their fire extinguishers, the fire department quickly extinguished the fire.

Piedmont Fire Chief Dave Brannigan said the speed of extinguishing the flames meant it was unlikely the Cybertruck’s large lithium-ion battery had burned. He called the incident “more like a typical car fire.”

Bowers, addressing a question about recent Cybertruck recalls, said “there is no indication that mechanical effects were the primary cause of the crash.”

The Cybertruckwhich has been on sale for about a year, has been recalled six times due to safety concerns, most recently on November 5 because a fault in an electrical inverter could cause the drive wheels to lose power.

Other recalls covered pictures of rear camera that do not activate immediately after shifting into reverse, trim pieces that may fall off, windshield wipers that may fail, and an incorrect font size on the instrument panel warning light. In April, the futuristic trucks were recalled to fix gas pedals that can get stuck in the interior.

The town of Piedmont is about 2.5 miles (4 km) northeast of Oakland.