A Florida family has filed a federal lawsuit against Tesla alleging that a 2021 Model S Plaid battery explosion in their garage during Hurricane Helene caused a fire that destroyed their 5,400‑square‑foot home and killed their dog.
The lawsuit, filed on September 24 in Tampa federal court, says the vehicle was parked in the ground‑floor garage beneath the property. When Helene struck as a Category 4 storm on September 26, saltwater flooded the garage, submerging the vehicle’s undercarriage. The family claims the vehicle then exploded and set the garage ablaze.
The fire spread rapidly, consuming the entire residence before emergency services could arrive. Rescue efforts were hampered by flooded streets, but a Tampa‑based Grey Bull Rescue team reached the house by boat and evacuated the family. The complaint states that the blaze was so intense that rescuers could not reach the family’s dog, which died in the fire.
The plaintiffs allege that Tesla had received multiple warnings about the risk of battery fires when exposed to water and that the company continued to sell the vehicles. They point to patents filed in 2010 for fire‑retardant material and a 2022 letter from Senator Rick Scott warning that saltwater can trigger thermal runaway. The complaint claims Tesla concealed these defects and failed to use its patented intumescent fire‑retardant material.
The Murphys seek damages, punitive damages, and any other relief a jury may award. Tesla has not yet responded to a request for comment. The lawsuit adds to a series of incidents involving Tesla vehicles that have sparked fires during floods and other circumstances.
