The driver of an early Tesla Model S has died in a vehicle fire in Germany, along with two nine-year-old children who were passengers in the car.

According to local newspaper Ruhr News – as first reported by The New York Post – the large electric sedan, which is no longer available in Australia, burst into flames after crashing into a tree earlier this month, when all but one of the occupants was unable to escape the wreck.

A witness reportedly tried to free those trapped, but the car's electric door handles hindered the rescue attempt.

"I just took the fire extinguisher and ran over. But… It didn't help," the man told local media.

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"I wanted to save people. I tried to open the car, b

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