Tesla driver dies after crashing into Fremont apartment complex, sparking fire

FREMONT, Calif. - The driver of a Tesla died after crashing into an apartment building in Fremont on Monday night, forcing evacuations and sparking a fire, officials say.

The Alameda County Coroner on Tuesday identified him as Kamleshkumar Patel, 46, of Fremont.

Fremont Police said the deadly accident happened on the 44700 block of Old Warm Springs Boulevard. 

Fire department officials said the first floor of the new complex is for commercial tenants and that it's currently empty, so there was no one inside to be injured. The apartments are upstairs.

The crash caused a fire in the building.

"The vehicle caught fire while it was still in the building, so out of caution we evacuated the entire building for everyone's safety," Fire Battalion Chief Dan Brunicardi said. "Then we decided to pull the vehicle out once we got the fire knocked down enough to pull the vehicle out of the building."

Officers said they arrived and found the vehicle on fire inside the building. Fremont police said the fire department turned off the sprinkler system. Together with the fire department, they evacuated the three floors above the unoccupied commercial space. 

Police are investigating the crash. So far they have determined the vehicle was traveling south on Old Warm Springs Blvd. when the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the building. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. It has not been determined if drugs or alcohol were a factor in this crash. 

No one else was injured in the crash, police said. 

Police said this was Fremont's 10th fatal traffic collision this year.