The siren echoed across Los Angeles’ 405 freeway, which just a few dozen minutes ago was still a traffic jam during rush hour. Now, the entire route was completely blocked by the red flames from the wreck of a Tesla Model S Plaid supercar, burning up a corner of the sky. The person who died in the accident was none other than Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and global technology icon.
Witnesses near the scene said that the collision was sudden and violent. “I heard a huge bang, then saw the Tesla lose control and spin continuously, crashing straight into the metal barrier,” a trembling Uber driver recounted. “The flames immediately erupted, like a fireball in the middle of the freeway. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Elon Musk inside.”
Black smoke rose dozens of meters high, spreading across the Los Angeles sky. Paparazzi and passersby immediately took out their phones to record, flashing in the chaotic scene. Hundreds of Tesla fans gathered near the tech event tonight, crying and trying to break through the police blockade to witness it with their own eyes. Local police had to set up a fence, constantly using loudspeakers to demand order.
In a moment of life and death, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene. They sprayed white foam to put out the fire, while another group tried to pull Musk out of the deformed cockpit. A paramedic burst into tears when he saw his body motionless, his face covered in smoke and blood. CPR was performed on the spot, an oxygen mask covering his face, while ambulance sirens wailed loudly against the chaotic night sky.
Just a few minutes later, Musk was loaded onto a stretcher, his entire body covered in a silver ambulance blanket, blood staining the fabric. In the ambulance, the heart monitor was pulsing, then a straight line of alarm. Doctors repeatedly shocked him, “Clear! Clear!” — but the needle still did not move. The motorcade, sirens blaring, drove through the special police lane, straight into the UCLA Medical Center.
The entire ICU was bathed in cold white light. The top medical team was doing their best to save him. Ventilators, IVs, and adrenaline pumps were used continuously. But after more than an hour, the head doctor came out, his face pale, only had time to say: “We did everything. Elon Musk did not make it.” The bad news spread out of the hospital amid the choked sobs of Tesla and SpaceX employees waiting outside the gate.
Immediately, social media exploded. Twitter (X) was flooded with the hashtag #PrayForElon, which quickly turned into #GoodbyeElon. World leaders, from the US President, the British Prime Minister, to the French President, posted messages of condolences. Millions of fans poured into the streets, especially in Los Angeles and San Francisco, turning the squares into seas of white candles.
The Musk family was escorted to the hospital in silence. His relatives wept and hugged each other, trembling as they watched the coffin draped in the American flag being transported to the city funeral home. At the scene of the accident, thousands of fans gathered all night, placing white flowers, candles and miniature Tesla models.
A double incident occurred: as the excited crowd jostled to get closer to the barrier where the car was still smoking, a pedestrian bridge shook violently, causing a section of the railing to collapse. 17 people were injured, 5 had to be hospitalized urgently. Police described the scene as “like the end of the world” as the crowd cried out, ambulances continuously blared to take people away.
International TV channels simultaneously interrupted their broadcasts to report live on the tragedy. CNN, BBC, NHK, Le Monde all devoted their front pages to Musk’s death. Analysts said this was the “shocking moment of the century”, when one of the most powerful figures of the technological age suddenly passed away.
A state funeral is being discussed by the US government. The White House issued a special statement, calling Elon Musk “a man who changed the course of humanity.” In Berlin, where the Tesla Gigafactory is located, flags were flown at half-staff. In Tokyo, a billboard in Shibuya displayed the words: “Goodbye Elon Musk.”
Closing a night of mourning, Los Angeles turned into a sea of candles. On the 405 freeway, where the Tesla supercar exploded, white bouquets of flowers covered the road, candles flickered in the wind, and thousands of fans shed tears. That image, like a farewell, will haunt the world for years to come.
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