A French prosecutor has confirmed that a Tesla electric vehicle caught fire on the night of December 12, resulting in four fatalities. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. According to an Associated Press report, police spokesperson Eric Hoarau indicated that the vehicle may have lost control and crashed into a signpost, although the specifics are yet to be determined. “The marks on the ground and a severed road sign suggest that speeding may have been an issue,” Hoarau remarked.

Sources indicate that the incident occurred in the outskirts of Niort, claiming the lives of the driver and three passengers, who were employees at a nearby restaurant in Melle.

Citing reports from Agence France-Presse, a local judge stated, “An investigation has been launched to identify the causes and circumstances of this fatal accident, and we will seek expert knowledge regarding the vehicle involved.”

Preliminary reports suggest that the vehicle collided with multiple road signs at high speed. Police have stated that when emergency responders arrived at the scene, all passengers were already deceased.

In a similar tragedy, a 30-year-old man in South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province crashed his Tesla, leading to a vehicle fire. It was later discovered that he perished in the backseat. Preliminary investigations indicate that although the driver was conscious after the crash, he was unable to open the doors and, tragically, was trapped inside as the vehicle burned.

Tesla, founded by billionaire Elon Musk, frequently faces scrutiny over safety concerns.