What followed was a desperate few minutes that people online are still trying to make sense of. Footage from the scene shows strangers stepping out of their vehicles, some still in slippers, trying to reach the cabin. You can hear someone shouting for an extinguisher. Another man tries his elbow, then the sole of his shoe against the side window. Nothing gives. The glass holds, as if untouched.
Key Points
- High-speed crash involving Xiaomi SU7 Ultra in Chengdu ignites debate.
- Bystanders unable to break EV glass, rescue attempts fail.
- No official statement yet from local authorities or Xiaomi Auto.
- Similar fatal Xiaomi SU7 accident occurred earlier this year.
- China reviewing new safety standards for car door accessibility.
The flames move faster than anyone expects. One of the bystanders aims a fire extinguisher toward the driver’s seat, but the heat pushes everyone back. It’s not clear how many people were inside. There’s a moment when someone yells, “The door, try the door!” But in the smoke, no one gets close enough.
Very quickly, the footage turns from rescue to helplessness. People are standing a few steps away, not knowing what else to do. Some online comments suggest the doors might have auto-locked on impact, but there is no confirmation. Neither Chengdu authorities nor Xiaomi have released any official explanation. Not yet.
The timing of this new incident is particularly unsettling. China is currently finalizing updates to vehicle safety standards, including proposals concerning door handles and emergency access. The discussion is no longer academic; it’s painfully immediate. If bystanders cannot enter a burning car, what good is reinforced glass?
There is a grim silence in these videos—the kind that follows effort, not indifference. People tried. The hardware didn’t yield.
Until officials speak, speculation will continue. Was it speed? System failure? A design flaw? Somewhere in those last untouchable seconds lies the real question: in an age of sealed safety, how do we break in when someone needs to be pulled out?