PIEDMONT — Three people died within the fiery crash involving a Tesla Cybertruck early Wednesday, authorities said.
An individual following the crashing Cybertruck pulled a fourth person to safety, authorities said. That person was taken to a hospital and underwent surgery, authorities said; They were reportedly in stable condition.
“This is unprecedented in Piedmont,” said Police Chief Jeremy Bowers. “It’s devastating.”
It all happened around 3:08 a.m. Bowers said police received an alert from an iPhone within the automobile, which notified them of a possible accident and provided location information.
Bowers said when officers arrived on the intersection of Hampton Road and King Avenue, they saw the Cybertruck engulfed in flames. He said there was no evidence that a mechanical failure caused the crash or subsequent fire.
“It's too early to say whether there were other factors,” he said.
Authorities didn’t name any of the three individuals who died “out of respect for the families,” Bowers said. It was unclear Wednesday when authorities would publicly discover the dead. According to several media reports, the victims were Piedmont High School graduates.
Bowers said the vehicle can have been speeding on the time of the crash. The vehicle struck a retaining wall after which a tree, authorities said.
Bowers said the people within the Cybertruck and the vehicle following that rescued the survivor had previously been at the identical event.
“It’s good to know someone is willing to help,” said Piedmont Fire Chief David Brannigan. “It probably saved a life.”
The initial investigation showed no obvious signs of an explosion or that the battery can have contributed to the fireplace, Brannigan said.
The California Highway Patrol took over the investigation.
The accident was the second time this yr that not less than three people died in an electrical automobile crash within the East Bay. A family of 4 died in April when their Vinfast electric automobile crashed and caught fire in Pleasanton. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating this accident.
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