TECHNOLOGY
Alijah Arenas' Close Call: A Fight for Survival in a Burning Tesla
Southern California, Los Angeles, USAWed Jul 02 2025
Alijah Arenas, a promising basketball recruit from Southern California, recently shared his harrowing experience of a car crash that left him in a critical state. The incident occurred last April when his Tesla Cybertruck collided with a tree, trapping him inside as flames spread through the vehicle.
Arenas described the terrifying moments after the crash. He was disoriented and panicked as smoke filled the cabin, and the doors refused to open. He tried to use his digital key to escape, but the Tesla app had locked him out. He moved to the back seat, attempting to break the window, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
With time running out, Arenas grabbed a water bottle to cool himself down. He spent nearly 10 minutes in the burning car before finally managing to break the driver's side window. He fell into a few inches of water from a broken fire hydrant, where bystanders helped pull him to safety.
Arenas spent six days in the hospital but did not suffer major injuries. His story raises questions about the safety features of modern vehicles and the importance of quick thinking in emergencies.
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questions
What are the potential technological and human factors that could have led to the malfunction of the Cybertruck's systems?
What safety protocols or design changes could prevent similar incidents in the future?
If the Tesla app locked him out, did it at least send him a funny error message like 'Access Denied: Try Again Later'?
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