Published 11:48 12 Nov 2024 GMT Friends burned to death in Tesla crash after ‘its electronic doors failed’ The sole survivor of the tragic ordeal struggled to get the electric vehicle's door open Niamh Shackleton Four people have lost their lives after the Tesla vehicle they were travelling in erupted into flames after crashing. The ordeal occurred in Toronto, Canada, on October 24 and claimed the lives of Jay Sisodiya, Digvijay Patel, Neelraj Gohil, and his sister Ketaba Gohil. The deceased ages range from 26 to 32. Advert It's believed that the person behind the wheel of the car lost control and crashed into a guardrail. The electric vehicle, a Tesla, then burst into flames and those inside struggled to get out. There was one survivor of the tragic ordeal, who was saved by Canada Post employee Rick Harper who smashed a window to help the 25-year-old woman exit the Tesla. It's believed that she had been trying to get out, but the car's doors - which work electronically - reportedly wouldn't open, leaving Harper with no choice but to break the window. Advert Recalling the harrowing incident, Harper told Toronto Star: "You couldn’t open the doors. I would assume the young lady would have tried to open the door from the inside, because she was pretty desperate to get out." "I don’t know if that was the battery or what. But she couldn’t get out," he added. Harper was unaware that there were others in the car as the vehicle was so full of smoke that he couldn't see them. The vehicle was badly damaged in the ordeal (City News/YouTube) Advert According to Randy Schmitz, a captain with the Calgary Fire Department and chairman of Alberta Vehicle Extrication Association, EVs like Teslas have electric doors and need power to open them. He added that should a car be involved in a crash and it cuts power to the vehicle, it will leave the doors 'inoperable using the normal buttons'. While it remains unclear what caused the collision, it's believed that the severity of the fire is linked to the car's battery. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said, as per CBC: "Certainly the intensity of the fire is directly linked to the battery cells in the Tesla." Advert The fatal ordeal comes after Tesla bragged that its cars are the 'safest in the world'. Tesla say that its cars are the 'safest in the world' (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) Part of a safety report issued by the car manufacturer read: "Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y have achieved among the lowest overall probability of injury of any vehicles ever tested by the U.S. government’s New Car Assessment Program. "Much of this has to do with the rigid, fortified structure of the battery pack that is mounted to the car’s floor, which provides a vehicle with exceptional strength, large crumple zones, and a uniquely low center of gravity. Because of their strength, Tesla’s battery packs rarely incur serious damage in accidents. Advert "And, in the extremely unlikely event that a fire occurs, the state-of-the-art design of our battery packs ensures that its safety system works as intended and isolates a fire to select areas within the battery while simultaneously venting heat away from the passenger cabin and the vehicle." UNILAD have approached Tesla and Toronto police for comment. 0 comments Niamh Shackleton Niamh Shackleton is an experienced journalist for UNILAD, specialising in topics including mental health and showbiz, as well as anything Henry Cavill and cat related. She has previously worked for OK! Magazine, Caters and Kennedy. @niamhshackleton