Ford CEO laments he can’t fill 5,000 mechanic jobs paying $120K per year With the handles idled, they could only “watch helplessly from a distance as the severely injured Jeff and Wendy burned in the inferno.” The suit says the blast exposed “the vehicle’s high voltage battery pack [containing] thousands of highly explosive batteries” and produced a “hard-to-extinguish fire” that blocked access to both occupants. Lawyers say the blaze grew so fast, “it quickly becomes too hot for rescuers to react effectively.” Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeffery and Wendy Dennis had no chance to escape because the sedan’s electronic handles died the instant the car lost power, according to a lawsuit. U.S. District Court The complaint also blames defective acceleration and braking systems, alleging the automatic emergency braking never activated despite an unavoidable collision. The filing lands as regulators probe whether Tesla doors trap occupants when low-voltage power fails — scrutiny fueled by a string of similar fire-entrapment lawsuits. In Wisconsin, families sued over a Model S fire that killed five people in Verona on Nov. 1, 2024, after they allegedly became trapped as flames tore through the car. A neighbor who called 911 reported “big flames” and “big bangs” and said she could “hear people screaming from within the vehicle.” In Wisconsin, families sued over a Model S fire that killed at least three people in Verona on Nov. 1, 2024, after they allegedly became trapped as flames tore through the car. Christopher Sadowski