Investigation Underway After Fire Destroys Four Tesla Cybertrucks in Seattle

SEATTLE — A late-night fire that erupted on Sunday, March 9, at a Tesla lot in Seattle’s industrial district destroyed four Tesla Cybertrucks and is now under investigation by local authorities. No injuries were reported in the incident, which prompted responses from the Seattle Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

First responders arrived at the scene on Fourth Avenue South near South Spokane Street shortly after the fire started, receiving the initial call at 11:13 p.m. Sunday evening. Firefighters extinguished the flames by 1 a.m. Monday, limiting damage to the four vehicles, which were in a fenced lot alongside approximately 50 other electric cars.

Witness Jay Fleming described witnessing the fire while walking his dog, stating, “At first it was flickering and then there was an explosion; the flames came up about 8-10 feet, and it was pretty bright. The lithium batteries themselves went up one after the other, popping, and it’s hard to put them out.”

The Seattle Fire Department’s Energy Response Team was dispatched to manage potential hazards from the damaged lithium-ion batteries of the Cybertrucks, which retail for approximately $80,000 each.

Seattle police have launched a concurrent investigation into the fire, with the possibility of foul play being considered. The fire occurs amid rising tensions surrounding Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, particularly following Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration and ensuing protests against the company’s alleged practices.

Recent incidents across the U.S. have seen Tesla dealerships targeted, including a gunfire incident at a Tesla outlet in Tigard, Oregon, last week. Earlier, federal prosecutors in Denver were investigating vandalism targeting another Colorado Tesla dealership, where graffiti declaring “Nazi cars” was spray-painted on the building.

Evan Sutton, an organizer with the activist group Tesla Takedown, stated that while they aim to lower Tesla’s stock price as a means of protest, their goal is not to damage vehicles or threaten safety. Sutton remarked, “Putting out an electric vehicle fire is very dangerous. When you have a fire on a Cybertruck, you’re putting firefighters who respond in danger and you’re not doing Elon Musk any harm.”

The investigation into the fire is ongoing, and the Seattle Fire Department has yet to confirm whether it will consider the possibility of arson. Meanwhile, the damaged Cybertrucks were removed from the lot, with local officials urging anyone with information related to the incident to come forward.