(L.A.) Lee Sun Hwang, 47, Died Inside a Tesla

Case Number: 2025-01901

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 47-year-old Asian female that occurred on a street in Torrance.

The coroner’s office identified the woman as Lee Sun Hwang.

Manner of Death: Accident

Cause of Death: Smoke Inhalation and Thermal Burns

RIP LEE SUN HWANG (February 13, 1977 – January 28, 2025)

Formal pronouncement of death was made on Tuesday at 10:21 p.m.

The decedent was the Korean driver of a 2025 Tesla Model Y that hit a pole and caught fire.

Torrance Fire Department personnel extinguished the fire, but their efforts were complicated by challenges attributed to the vehicle’s lithium-ion batteries.

Description from YouTube video

One woman is dead after a solo vehicle accident into a pole. Upon impact, the vehicle, a Tesla sedan burst into flames. The female was unable to escape and was pronounced dead on scene.

Torrance Fire spent 30+ minutes attempting to put out the flames. Unknown cause and the female is the sole occupant. No other vehicles involved.

Handling agencies: Torrance Fire and Police Dept.

Location: Plaza Del Almo x Madrona Ave. Torrance, CA