Video of Passengers Being Rescued from a Burning Electric Car
A video has spread online showing three passengers being rescued from a burning electric sedan. The car’s manufacturer, Dongfeng, confirmed that the accident occurred in Yunnan province back in March 2025. According to the company, the incident happened after a high-speed collision with a truck. This case clearly demonstrates how crucial functional doors and their handles are in any accident.
Chronology of Events After the Collision
The past year has been filled with stories about dangerous door handle designs. Now China is banning pop-out handles, starting with electric vehicles. New footage explains why. After colliding with a truck, the Dongfeng eπ007 electric sedan turns into a solid flame in less than a minute.
The recording shows the Chinese electric sedan, which, importantly, is the basis for the popular Nissan N7, spinning and veering off the road before hitting a construction barrier. The collision itself does not look particularly devastating, but apparently, the battery was punctured at some point.
A Fight for Life Every Second
The driver immediately jumps out of the car but cannot open the rear doors. The handles do not extend from the door body itself. Then his door also closes and no longer responds to attempts to open it. At 29 seconds after the initial impact, smoke billows from the passenger side, and all doors are closed.
The driver starts trying to break the window with his elbow. Another person appears, and the pair use stones to break the side windows. Then the real work begins, as they pull two people out of the car fairly quickly. At 52 seconds after the accident, flames are clearly visible outside the car, and the interior is completely filled with black smoke.
A Race Against Time and Fire
Despite the flames, the person who appeared out of nowhere to help managed to pull the last passenger from the completely engulfed car. Traces of the fire are visible on the clothing and faces of all the victims.
The rescuer later said that all three passengers suffered burns, the injuries were described as serious but not fatal. He himself suffered severe burns to his hands, noting that five fingers were bandaged months after the event, and that the injuries might prevent him from returning to his job as a truck driver.
Manufacturer’s Response
On February 5th, Dongfeng’s eπ brand published a statement confirming that the accident occurred in March 2025 and expressing condolences to all those affected. The company stated that its team went to the scene at the time and cooperated with the authorities.
According to Dongfeng, the fire broke out after a high-speed collision with a truck. The automaker also warned that circulating videos may not reflect the full context of the accident and may cause additional suffering to those involved.
It is also worth noting that, although some reports from China claimed that the front-seat passenger died in the fire, this has not been confirmed.
If it wasn’t clear before why accessible, fully functional mechanical door handles are important, this incident should dot all the i’s. The ban on pop-out handles in China is a direct reaction by regulators to such cases, which demonstrate a systemic safety problem in emergencies where every second is precious. The speed at which an electric vehicle can be engulfed in flames after battery damage makes reliable and intuitive door opening mechanisms critically important not just for comfort, but for survival. This story also raises questions about the readiness of ordinary citizens to provide assistance in extremely dangerous conditions when professional rescue services have not yet arrived.