A Tesla Model S was deliberately set on fire late Monday night in the parking lot of CF Masonville Mall in London, Ontario. The incident, which occurred around 11:30 p.m., is currently under investigation by local police and fire officials.
According to a post on Reddit, an individual wearing a ski mask was seen igniting the vehicle before fleeing the scene. Early indications suggest that the burned Tesla was one of several demo vehicles available for test drives at Tesla’s recently opened showroom inside the mall.
The fire was extinguished by the London Fire Department, but not before causing significant damage to the vehicle, particularly near the rear passenger-side wheel. By Tuesday morning, cleanup efforts were underway, with workers loading the Model S onto a flatbed truck and sweeping up debris from the scene.
London police have confirmed they are working with fire officials to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the fire.
“The investigation is in its early stages at this time,” said Sgt. Sandasha Bough, a spokesperson for the London Police Service told the London Free Press.
Authorities are urging anyone with information or surveillance footage from the area to come forward.
This fire is part of a wider trend of vandalism against Tesla vehicles, showrooms, and charging stations across North America and Europe. Protesters and vandals have increasingly targeted the automaker, driven by opposition to CEO Elon Musk’s political affiliations and his role in the U.S. government’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Also on Tuesday, a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas was the target of another arson, with several vehicles set on fire, and the word “RESIST” spray painted on the main doors of the building.
Canada has not been immune to the attacks. Over the weekend a Supercharger station in Nanaimo, British Columbia, was set on fire. A preliminary investigation by fire officials confirmed it was arson, and the investigation has now been handed over to the RCMP.
