Cars and Drivers

Tesla Plant Accident Not a Fire

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Source: Thinkstock
What was first reported as a fire on Wednesday afternoon at the Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has now been explained by the company as a failure in a low-pressure aluminum casting press. Three Tesla employees were injured by hot metal from that press and the company said that it is making sure that they receive the “best possible care.”

The report of a fire was apparently confirmed by the Fremont, California, fire department and was tweeted at 1:46 p.m. PT. Fire department equipment was dispatched to Tesla’s factory.

Fire has got to be a pretty touchy subject around Tesla these days following three fires in the company’s Model S sedans in the past six weeks. Three car fires may not be enough for an in-depth government investigation or a recall, however it would not take many more similar fires, or an actual injury, to force CEO Elon Musk to change his mind, or have it changed for him.

Not only does the public expect the cars to be flawless, but the hype surrounding the company leads us to believe that the company itself is without blemish. And just as a car with thousands of parts can never be flawless, neither can an automaker with thousands of employees.

Tesla stock did not move much in after-hours trading following the incident. The stock is up about 0.3% at $139.05 after closing at $138.70 in a 52-week range of $30.50 to $194.50.

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