Phoenix-based Gruber Motors suffered a devastating fire on Saturday morning, that engulfed its main service center that contained over 30 Tesla Roadsters. The shop is known for working on Tesla’s original Roadster and this was the company’s second fire in four years, with the last one happening back in 2017.
Peter Gruber, CEO of Gruber Motors, which describes itself as “the first commercial independent Tesla service organization providing engineering and aftermarket support,” took to numerous Tesla Facebook group pages and social media to explain the fire and the losses involved.
“Each of the owners affected by our fire last night have been contacted. I personally reached out to each of you affected by a lost Roadster, rather than have you find out through the media,” explained Gruber. “Talking to each of you, I am again reminded how cherished these cars are, how much they meant to you, and what a special place they carve out in automotive history,” he added.
“You all have my sincerest apologies and I feel your pain, having lost three in this mishap as well. I wish it was otherwise,” detailed Gruber.
“We have three commercial buildings involved with Tesla vehicles, and the fire occurred in our main work in process Service Center. Early analysis by the first fire inspectors isolated the cause to an electrical panel failure, which of course will be investigated more thoroughly. Many other Roadsters survived, and each of you have been contacted as well,” said Gruber.
Gruber went on to say, like the other fire in May 2017, this one again “consumed the entire building and all its contents, which illustrate the potent nature of Lithium Ion battery vehicles once they ignite.”
“Our GMC expansion building, which has been under construction, is fully sprinkled. In the meantime, we are again relocating operations into one of our other buildings,” he said.
“Along with the entire Tesla community, we grieve the loss of over 30 Teslas that perished in our shop, which is dedicated to normally preserving and credited with saving hundreds of these rare and dying breed of first generation [EVs]. Here is a video my son stitched together to provide a bit more detail,” concluded Gruber.
This is indeed a devastating loss–you have to feel for the owners that lost an original Tesla. You would think after the first fire, more precautions would have been taken to protect these iconic original Tesla Roadsters.
