A wild Tesla crash in the Los Angeles area set off a wildfire that’s threatening to burn hundreds of homes.
The Grand Fire — which was 50% contained and spanned nearly 30 acres as of Thursday afternoon —ignited when the driver of a Tesla lost control of his vehicle in a rollover crash near roadside brush. The vehicle then caught fire, sparking the brush.
The crash initially threatened about 650 homes in the area, forcing evacuations. The order was lifted about an hour later with the assistance of more than 200 firefighters, 20 trucks and three helicopters.
One firefighter was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, officials said.
Fire officials had an optimistic outlook on their overnight operations.
“Firefighters continued to make progress through the night, bringing containment to 50%. Crews will remain engaged extinguishing hot spots and strengthening containment lines,” officials said Thursday morning.
Fire investigators determined around noon Thursday that the crash caused the blaze.
Grand Avenue remained closed between Grand Avenue Park in Chino Hills as fire crews continued to work in the area.
The cause of the crash or the extent of the injuries to the Tesla driver were unknown.
