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Tesla CEO says fiery crash proves car is safe

SEATTLE, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Tesla Motors Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk says a fiery crash involving a Tesla Model S car in Seattle proved his cars are safe.

The automotive-themed website Jalopnik posted photographic evidence of the Wednesday crash, in which a fire erupted in the front batter section of the car, CNNMoney reported Saturday.

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Musk countered with an online post saying flames never reached the passenger compartment of the car, the driver was not harmed and the incident was not the fault of the vehicle, but of debris that fell from a tractor-trailer and stuck the Model S.

The debris, apparently a piece of metal, "caused a powerful lever action as it went under the car," Musk wrote, explaining that it would require a force of 25 tons to rupture the metal plate under the vehicle.

"There should be absolutely zero doubt that it is safer to power a car with a battery than a large tank of highly flammable liquid," Musk said.

Tesla stock had fallen more than 10 percent Wednesday and Thursday following the report of the fiery crash but ended Friday with a 4.4 percent gain, CNN said.

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