Imagine being trapped in a burning car with no way out. This nightmare became a tragic reality for a driver in Chengdu, China, who suffered a fatal fate after a high-speed crash in his electric vehicle. The harrowing incident has sent shockwaves through social media and raised critical questions about the safety of electronic door locks in modern cars.

The dramatic events unfolded in the early hours of Monday when a Xiaomi SU7 sedan lost control, crashed into a green belt, and ignited into flames on a slick, rain-soaked road. Bystanders captured unsettling footage of the fire; it was so intense that rescue efforts became a desperate struggle against time. Witnesses described seeing several people trying to force open the locked doors, desperately kicking and punching through the windows, but flames quickly engulfed the vehicle, rendering their efforts futile.

Tragically, the driver, identified as 31-year-old Deng, was suspected to be under the influence at the time of the crash. An eyewitness recounted, “The fire broke out around 3.10 am. My friend and I rushed to the scene. At first, there were four or five people trying to help him, but despite their courageous attempts, the fire spread too quickly.”

As the blaze raged on, they awaited the fire truck, which arrived with tools to cut through the car's window—only then could they reach Deng, but it was too late. The circumstances of the accident have sparked renewed concerns over the safety of electric vehicle designs, particularly the electronic door locks that failed when the power cut out. This caused the doors to lock automatically, trapping Deng inside the vehicle, illustrating a flaw in a technology that’s supposed to enhance safety.

This isn’t an isolated incident. There have been multiple reports of similar tragedies involving electric cars, notably Tesla models in various countries where electronic door mechanisms have led to preventable deaths. Just recently, in Germany, a man and two children tragically lost their lives when emergency responders couldn’t access their vehicle due to locked handles. Such incidents raise alarming questions about whether car manufacturers are prioritizing safety over innovative technology.

As the news spread online, Xiaomi faced backlash, with their stock plummeting as much as 8.7%, marking their most significant drop since April. The public is demanding answers, and as scrutiny mounts, regulators, including the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are investigating the safety of electric vehicle door handles, potentially signaling a shift in how manufacturers design these critical components. For now, the tragedy serves as a haunting reminder of the vulnerabilities that lie in our increasingly tech-driven world.