A National Football League (NFL) player is thanking emergency responders after a Tesla TSLA charger seemingly malfunctioned and set his family’s home ablaze.
What Happened: Wide receiver Randall Cobb took to Instagram to share an update on the fire in a joint message with wife Aiyda Cobb.
"Thank you for all the love and positive messages," Cobb wrote, expressing gratitude to the Nashville Fire Department for their quick action to the fire. "First and foremost, we are all safe and healthy."
Cobb, his wife and three children escaped the home after the fire started. He even went back into the home to get the family dog, Louie, out safely.
"I can't get the image of the brave firefighter getting into position out of my head,” said Cobb, who played 10 seasons with the Green Bay Packers before joining the New York Jets for the 2023 season. "This has been a reminder that nothing is more important than the health of our family."
Aiyda, in an earlier post on her personal Instagram, said the family was "lucky to be alive" and blamed the fire on an electric vehicle charger, as reported by the New York Post.
"The Tesla charger caught on fire in the garage late last night and quickly spread,” Aiyda said on her Instagram Stories. “We got out of the house with nothing but the clothes on our back and no shoes on our feet."
See Also: EVs Exposed To Saltwater Can Burst Into Flames, Fire Dept Warns After Tesla Catches Fire In Florida
Why It Matters: Over the years, fires have been reported at various charging stations and from chargers located inside garages. Tesla vehicles themselves have also reportedly gone up in smoke.
In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sought information from Tesla regarding reported quality issues with its cars, as well as an accident involving its 2021 Model Y vehicle that caught fire in Vancouver.
For Cobb, the fire destroyed more than one of his vehicles. “I truly thought the cars were going to explode,” he said, unsure if other possessions in the home are salvageable.
Tesla did not respond to a request from Benzinga for comment.
Related Link: Tesla Told Driver To Bring ‘Fully Burned’ Model Y To Service Center After It Burst Into Flames On Roadside
What's Next: It’s unknown whether the charger was plugged into a vehicle, or which vehicle potentially caused the fire.
An incident report will likely be closely monitored as it could point to user error or safety risks for Tesla's chargers.
Cobb is currently a free agent. He played in 11 games last season and caught five passes for 39 yards. In his NFL career, Cobb has 630 receptions for 7,624 yards and 54 receiving touchdowns.
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