Four Tesla Cybertrucks were damaged or destroyed in a late-night fire at a lot in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, raising concerns about possible arson.
The fire broke out just after 11 p.m. on Sunday, with photos and video from a Seattle Department of Transportation camera capturing the moment the trucks were engulfed in flames. The vehicles were parked in a fenced lot near 2nd Avenue and Spokane Street, alongside at least 50 other electric vehicles waiting for dealership delivery or pickup, according to KOMO 4.
Firefighters arrived and quickly extinguished the flames. Drone footage from KOMO 4 showed the aftermath, with one Cybertruck reduced to a charred frame, another half-burned, and two others sustaining less severe damage.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) has not confirmed if foul play was involved, but the cause is under investigation. The SFD Energy Response Team was also on-site due to the potential fire hazards from the vehicles’ lithium-ion batteries. Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) joined the probe on Monday.
Each Cybertruck is valued at a minimum of $80,000, raising the stakes of the investigation.
The fire comes amid ongoing national protests against Tesla owner Elon Musk and his role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which recently cut over 62,000 federal jobs.
This incident follows vandalism at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, where a man was charged for throwing Molotov cocktails and later shooting out windows.
Authorities are now investigating whether the Seattle fire is linked to these broader tensions.
