The same report also detailed the crash itself, noting that the sedan was traveling at 116MPH before it collided twice with a residential wall, catching fire the second time around. Tesla has since instituted a speed limiting feature to prevent these kinds of incidents.

As The Verge observed, there have been fires like this in the past. The battery in the Model X from a Mountain View crash reignited five days after sitting in an impound lot, while actress Mary McCormack captured her husband Michael Morris' Model S erupting into flames despite the absence of a collision. This may be the most prominent example, however.

Tesla has declined to comment. However, the report doesn't necessarily indicate brand-specific design flaws. Many portable device owners will attest that batteries don't always need obvious provocation to catch fire -- sustained pressure or other hard-to-predict factors can trigger a blaze at unexpected moments. While there is a chance that Tesla could have a role to play, it might be difficult to prevent reignition when the required chemical reactions can take hours or days to kick in.