Texas Man Killed In Cybertruck Fire At 2760°C, Family Claims He Was Trapped By Faulty Doors

A tragic incident has unfolded in Texas, where a man lost his life in a Cybertruck fire in which a blaze reportedly reached an astonishing 2760°C (5,000°F).

The family of 47-year-old Cybertruck owner in Texas, Michael Sheehan, has come forward with grave accusations, claiming that defective doors prevented his escape, leading to his untimely death. Sheehan died from burns after his vehicle crashed into a ditch, leaving him unable to escape.

Sheehan's widow and parents have filed a lawsuit against the EV manufacturer led by Elon Musk, claiming the intense fire was so hot that his bones turned to dust. This devastating event raises serious questions about vehicle safety and design.

The Fiery Crash

When the Cybertruck fire finally died down, Sheehan's body had reportedly shrunk. 'He was eight inches shorter in length than he was before he burned,' the family's attorney, Scott West, told The Independent.

The registered nurse, unable to escape his new $100,000 £78,500 Tesla, was trapped after it left the road, collided with a culvert, and erupted in flames. The inferno reached an astonishing 2,760°C (5,000°F), a heat so intense it is said to have turned his bones to ash.

Lawsuit Claims Design Flaws

The lawsuit, lodged in Harris County, alleges the Cybertruck is a 'defectively designed' structure. It claims the vehicle's design was prioritised over vital safety features that could save lives, per The Independent.

When the crash turned off the Cybertruck's electrical systems, Sheehan could not open the doors. The handles failed, and in panic, he couldn't locate the emergency manual release. He was caught inside and burned alive. He had owned the Cybertruck for a mere 102 days.

This incident is just one of several Tesla drivers stuck inside their vehicles following a collision. Specialists have cautioned that the manual door release in many models can be hard to locate. Furthermore, numerous cases of electronic doors failing to open have also been reported.

Design Under Scrutiny

Should the vehicle ignite, its lithium-ion batteries will feed an intense fire for an extended period, making it exceptionally challenging for the fire department to extinguish the blaze.

This is particularly worrying for the Cybertruck, given its substantial recall history. The vehicle has faced eight major design flaw recalls, ranging from accelerators that can get trapped to large body panels that may come loose.

In November, a separate crash in Piedmont, California, saw a young man desperately attempt, but fail, to rescue his three friends from a ferocious Cybertruck fire.

A Preventable Tragedy

The latest lawsuit contends Sheehan would have survived this incident in almost any other vehicle. However, the Cybertruck's design effectively trapped and incinerated him. It must have been an incredibly brutal end.

'Every religion has a version of hell, and every version of hell has fire,' West told the Independent. 'It is the most excruciating and longest torture of any death. Whether it's steam or fire or electrical, the nerves are literally exposed to everything. It's horrific.'

Allegations of Entrapment

The family of the deceased claims his Cybertruck veered off the road and hit a concrete culvert. This impact initiated a chain reaction within the battery system, causing it to ignite. Without power, Sheehan was reportedly unable to use the truck's electronic doors. The lawsuit further alleges that even the external door handles did not work.

'Not only are you riding on top of 3,000 pounds of batteries, this 'spaceship' design is a double-edged sword,' West informed The Independent. The attorney did concede that Sheehan had "some alcohol in his system,' but maintained this 'shouldn't sign his death warrant.'

Broader Safety Concerns

Beyond drivers perishing in extreme heat, Tesla faces numerous other lawsuits concerning its notorious driver assistance features. These systems have reportedly given drivers a false sense of security. West conveyed to The Independent his desire to prevent any further incineration deaths.

'I'd love for them to put me out of business on Tesla Cybertrucks,' he said. 'There's my challenge to Elon. Put me out of business. Make these vehicles so safe that I don't have to do this anymore.'