Tesla Cybertruck bursts into flames on SR 167 in Auburn
Jun 5, 2026, 2:58 PM | Updated: 2:59 pm
A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire Thursday night after a crash in Auburn. (Photo courtesy of the Washington State Patrol)
(Photo courtesy of the Washington State Patrol)
A Tesla Cybertruck crash sparked a major fire on SR 167 in Auburn Thursday night, forcing firefighters to use more than 2,000 gallons of water to put out the flames.
The Tesla Cybertruck was traveling northbound on SR 167 south of Jovita Boulevard around 8 p.m. when the fiery crash unfolded. A Chevy Silverado was driving in the lane next to it.
The Cybertruck hit the Silverado, then veered off the left side of the road, struck the cable barrier, and caught fire.
Two people inside the Tesla Cybertruck suffered minor injuries. The driver of the Chevy Silverado was not hurt.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) said the cause of the collision was an improper lane change.
Thanks for everyone’s patience. After 2000+ gallons of water, the fire was extinguished snd the vehicle was removed. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/NcWW9Sl51O
— Trooper Kameron Watts (@wspd1pio) June 5, 2026
Traffic was diverted off the freeway at Jovita Boulevard until crews extinguished the flames. SR 167 reopened more than two hours after the crash.
Why Cybertruck fire took so long to put out
WSP Trooper Kameron Watts told KIRO Newsradio vehicle fires are typically put out in a few minutes, but this one took longer as the “heat was pretty extreme.”
“I’ve been on scenes with electrical vehicle fires where the fire’s put out, and then the fire re-ignites while it’s being towed,” Watts said. “The tow truck operators on the scene had to take a lot of precautions and use some extra tools in order to get it from the center median out of fear that, you know, another fire could break out, or the heat would be too extreme for [them to] touch the vehicle with their bare hands.”
There were no reports of the Tesla Cybertruck re-igniting, Watts said.
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How much water does it take to put out an EV fire?
Watts spoke with the Tacoma Fire Department to put that 2,000 gallons in perspective.
If a non-electric vehicle’s engine compartment catches fire, it takes an average of 300 gallons to put it out. If the entire vehicle catches fire, it can take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 gallons on average.
Electric vehicles take much more.
The average amount of water needed, they told him, is 1,000 to 8,000 gallons. In some cases it can take more than 10,000 gallons of water to extinguish an electric vehicle fire.
The fact that Thursday night’s fire only took 2,000 gallons is considered a success, they told Watts.
Frank Lenzi is the News Director for KIRO Newsradio. Read more of his stories here.
