Two Tesla Cybertrucks went up in flames Wednesday afternoon inside a Santa Monica parking garage, sending thick black smoke over the neighborhood and wreaking havoc on late-day traffic. Fire crews moved in quickly and knocked the fire down, and there were no immediate reports of injuries. The blaze was reported near the intersection of Olympic and Cloverfield boulevards.
The fire was reported sometime before 3:30 p.m., and crews attacked flames that appeared to involve vehicles parked on one of the structure’s decks, according to NBC Los Angeles. NewsChopper4 aerial video later showed two charred Cybertrucks parked side by side after firefighters had the situation under control. Authorities did not immediately say what sparked the blaze.
Local residents quickly flooded neighborhood forums with photos and video of the smoke and emergency response, including posts on r/SantaMonica. Several commenters said the fire appeared to be on the top level near the Ralphs on Cloverfield and that traffic around the garage was being rerouted. Videos shared on neighborhood apps showed police and fire units swarming the scene and neighbors noting that they saw no obvious injuries.
Investigation And Firefighter Challenges
City officials have not yet released a cause. Investigators are expected to comb through the scene, pull vehicle data and review any nearby surveillance footage to piece together what happened. Electric-vehicle fires present special hazards because lithium‑ion batteries can enter a thermal‑runaway state and potentially reignite, complicating suppression and post-fire monitoring, experts told The Washington Post.
How This Fits Into A Larger Pattern
The Cybertruck has already been under a safety microscope. Federal regulators ordered broad fixes to certain Cybertruck components in 2025, AP News reported. Similar vehicle fires have damaged or destroyed Cybertrucks in other cities, including a late-night blaze in a Seattle storage lot that burned through multiple trucks, according to The Guardian.
The Santa Monica Police Department and Fire Department had not released additional details by the time of the initial reports, and investigators were expected to take time to determine a cause. We will publish updates if city officials or investigators share more information.
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