Electric truck manufacturer Nikola faced a fire incident near its global headquarters in Phoenix, which resulted in the burning of multiple electric trucks. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported in relation to the incident.
Taking to Twitter, the company announced its suspicion of foul play being involved in the fire’s ignition. It stated that a vehicle was seen in the vicinity of the affected trucks just before the incident, leading to an ongoing investigation.
A spokesperson for Nikola confirmed the company’s suspicion of foul play and mentioned more information would be shared once the situation is assessed further. The Phoenix Fire Department also released a video on Twitter, indicating the presence of hazardous materials crews at the scene.
This fire adds to the challenges faced by the young manufacturer, which recently announced 270 layoffs affecting employees at its European factory as well as its Phoenix and Coolidge facilities in Arizona. Nikola has already encountered setbacks, including the abandonment of plans for a consumer-focused electric pickup truck and the former chairman being charged with three counts of criminal fraud by the Department of Justice.
Despite these setbacks, Nikola has produced 63 Tre battery-electric trucks, delivering them to 31 dealers in the first quarter of the year. Production at the Coolidge factory was temporarily halted but was expected to resume in July, as per the company’s previous statements. The impact of the fire on future production remains uncertain at this time.
