Actor says husband was flagged down by passersby who told him to get out

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Actor Mary McCormack has shared video of her husband’s Tesla car catching fire while in traffic in California. Flames can be seen shooting out from underneath the vehicle as it sits on the side of the road.

McCormack said in an accompanying tweet it was not the result of an accident and that the incident came “out of the blue”. She is married to British director Michael Morris, a former director of the Old Vic theatre who has produced episodes of hit Netflix shows including 13 Reasons Why, Kingdom and Bloodline.

McCormack said the electric car had not been on autopilot at the time and was a “normal Tesla”. Sheriff’s Lieutenant William Nash in West Hollywood confirmed on Saturday that deputies saw smoke coming from the electric vehicle and then fire. Deputies requested help from firefighters who quickly extinguished the flames.

Mary McCormack (@marycmccormack) @Tesla This is what happened to my husband and his car today. No accident,out of the blue, in traffic on Santa Monica Blvd. Thank you to the kind couple who flagged him down and told him to pull over. And thank god my three little girls weren’t in the car with him pic.twitter.com/O4tPs5ftVo

Tesla called the incident “an extraordinarily unusual occurrence” and said it was investigating.



Nash said the driver, who was not named in a log entry, had got out of the car and that there were no injuries. Nash said the log entry cited the possibility of a faulty battery.

Representatives for McCormack did not immediately return a message on Saturday seeking comment.

With Associated Press and Press Association