Fire at Tesla factory in Fremont quickly contained

FREMONT — Firefighters on Thursday night swiftly extinguished a fire at Tesla in Fremont.

The blaze was reported at the electric automaker’s plant at 45500 Fremont Blvd. about 5:20 p.m.

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A Tesla spokesperson said the flames ignited in a pile of cardboard and shipping materials being prepared for recycling along the plant’s southern fence line, then spread to a patch of grass next to a parking lot.

The fire also damaged a tent-like structure that protects the cardboard and shipping materials from inclement weather, said Diane Hendry, a division chief with the Fremont Fire Department.

Firefighters contained the blaze by about 6 p.m. and were expected to spend several more hours at the scene mopping up hot spots.

No injuries were reported.

Elon Musk, the electric automaker’s chief executive, thanked the fire department in a tweet.

“I was just there,” he wrote. “Cardboard being prepped for recycling along southern fence line caught fire. Super appreciate fast response by Fremont fire dept! No injuries or damage to factory.”

The Tesla spokesperson said the fire will not impact operations at the plant, which the company expects to roll out 6,000 of its Model 3 cars per week by the end of August.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

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