Arizona firefighters rushed to rescue a 20-month-old baby girl after she was locked inside a Tesla Model Y for approximately an hour and a half in soaring temperatures on July 24, 2021. Leading up to their day at the Phoenix Zoo, grandmother Renee Sanchez had placed her granddaughter into the back of her Tesla Model Y before closing the door to find the car was unresponsive to her phone or card key.
Renee Sanchez's Tesla Model Y had experienced a failure in its door-opening mechanism. She had no way to get in, leaving her granddaughter unable to escape the heat rising inside the car. Sanchez said the first thing the firefighters remarked on was the car's make as they arrived on the scene, flummoxed over how to gain access to the Tesla.
Bystanders witnessed a hectic scene as Sanchez attempted multiple solutions, from unsuccessfully fiddling with their car's fob key to calling Tesla's roadside assistance to no avail. It wasn't until local firefighters arrived on the scene –– with "relief on their faces" –– that Sanchez finally felt hopeful her granddaughter would be freed from the overheated vehicle.
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"I don't care if you have to cut my car in half. Just get her out'."
Ultimately, the firefighters utilized an axe to smash into the Tesla, securing a window with tape to prevent glass from endangering the little girl before extracting her to safety.
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I worked on the model S launch in 2012.
When I saw the door locking system, I told them people would die due to their design.
Glass? Who gives a shit about glass? I my kid was trapped in the back, I would use the protruding bone of my own compound fracture to punch through the side windows. If you have time to tape the window… it isn’t that pressing.
Briben’s America on display. Remember he wants us all to drive these “toy cars”.
Blood on the Biden Admin’s hands for subsidizing this automotive boondoggle!
People need to wake up and smell the smoke.
Electric Vehicles are rich people’s toys… now… dangerous toys.
First off, I’m NEVER going to own an EV. But for those that do, who in the world would let the battery get that low in town. I understand it happening on the open road when you can’t find a charging station. But going to the zoo – in town??
They could have cooled the car with water while they schemed on entry method. Probably best using shears to cut door post apart. Breaking glass is risky.
The car had armored glass?? Or grandma wouldn’t break the glass, or the bystanders (stupid) would not break the glass? All are ass hats. Nothing more needs to be said. I sure hope that baby’s parents learned that grandma’s car is more important than their daughter’s life.