A Tesla Model X did not make it home Feb. 24, when it caught fire on an icy Lake Champlain.

An online user, GreenMtnM3, posted to a forum on Tesla Motors Club Tuesday morning:


What happened to the Tesla

The Shelburne Fire Department could not determine a cause for the fire, according to Chief Jerry Ouimet, as everyone was "unable to get anywhere near it before it was totally burnt to the frame." 

The owner of the Tesla thinks he may have hit a rock or piece of ice that damaged the vehicle, from Ouimet's understanding. The chief said the call came in at approximately 8:11 p.m. Sunday night from dispatch. He believed the owner was the initial person who called to report the car burning.

The fire department also called the department in Charlotte for assistance. 

Another car was out there as well, though Ouimet is unsure who was operating that vehicle. The chief heard the owner drove on the lake to go ice fishing, but added it seemed like an uncommon time of night for the activity.

Ouimet said the ice in the area where the Tesla burned was nearly a foot thick but added that it was unlikely the car would've melted through the ice despite the fire.

Getting the Tesla off the ice before the lake thaws

It seems the owner of the vehicle is planning to make arrangements for the car to be removed, from Ouimet's understanding. The chief said that the lake is under the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, which does not deal with recoveries. 

He said Vermont Fish and Wildlife were also notified of the incident. 

The owner will have more issues if the car is left when the ice melts, Ouimet said, as it could be costly to recover it from the water. 

"Finding a company who will do it first will be the biggest challenge for him," he said. 

Reddit wonders about the Tesla fire

Users on Reddit, the social platform, shared the story on subreddits dedicated to Vermont and Burlington.

One said the car owner should pay a fine daily until the Tesla is moved off the lake. Another defended the car owner, explaining it could be difficult to find a person who wants to remove the vehicle.

"Maybe it's not quite time to get out the torches and pitchforks."

Another wondered about whether the car was still on the ice and questioned why taking an expensive vehicle onto Lake Champlain was an issue.

"The pickups and whatnot people take out there aren't cheap."

One redditor said they heard the owner "took it out on the ice for a joy ride. Spinning donuts like crazy. Not sure if they hit something or overheated the batteries, but the ice fishing excuse is a joke."

One simply wrote, "Sounds fishy."


Read or Share this story: