Caught on camera: Tesla catches fire on Highway 99
ELK GROVE – A Tesla fire was caught on camera in Elk Grove on Highway 99.
Bishal Malla says he was only going about 20 miles per hour on the ramp when his car began shaking.
Thinking it was a flat tire, he got out to take a look – and that's when he saw smoke.
Malla called 911 but says by the time first responders showed up, flames swallowed his entire car.
"The moment I saw the car burning into flames I had my two children's car seat," Malla said. "I am so glad they were not there because, what if they were there and I would not be able to save them?"
Malla says firefighters told him they had to just let the car burn because the high-capacity batteries are hard to put out.
Indeed, Tesla fires have caused complications for area firefighters in the past. Back in January, after a Tesla Model S "spontaneously" caught fire on Highway 50 in Rancho Cordova, firefighters said it took about 6,000 gallons of water to extinguish the flames.
