2 dead after driverless Tesla crashed into tree, burst into flames

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (KTRK) – Two people died in a fatal crash Saturday night with a Tesla Model S, and the flames took hours to extinguish, authorities said.

It happened just after 9pm at Hammock Dunes Place in the Carlton Woods subdivision.

Firefighters and medics were called to the scene following reports of an explosion in the woods after the Tesla ran off the road, authorities said.

The Tesla travels from a cul-de-sac on Hammock Dunes Place and does not negotiate a curve. The vehicle crashed into a tree before bursting into flames.

Crew found two bodies in the vehicle, a man in the front passenger seat and another man in the rear passenger seat.

Authorities said the batteries on board the Tesla caught fire despite attempts to extinguish the flames. It took about four hours and 23,000 gallons of water before the flames died, firefighters said.

The Tesla Model S is a fully electric car with an autopilot function. It was not clear if the car was in auto driving mode when the accident occurred.

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The identity of the victims was not immediately disclosed.