Toyota once again proved its unmatched resilience after Tacoma truck survived California wildfires
- California wildfires swept through 40K acres in greater LA, US
- However, despite the tragedy and devastation, there are glimmers
- This 2013 Toyota Tacoma truck is just one of them
Published on Jan 14, 2025 at 8:23 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Jan 15, 2025 at 4:53 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
An unlikely beacon of hope and resilience amid the devastation of the tragic wind-spread California wildfires is this Toyota Tacoma truck.
The fires have killed at least 24 people and swept through 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area, US, with tens of thousands of residents forced to evacuate.
Resident Brandon Sanders’ home was sadly destroyed by the Eaton Fire.
However, his 2013 Toyota Tacoma, despite being heavily damaged, started up and remained functional – now that’s reliable.
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The Toyota Tacoma truck
While only charred rubble remains of Sander’s home, thankfully he, his wife, and his dog, Coco, were able to escape.
Upon their return to where their home had once stood, however, they were surprised to see that their Toyota Tacoma truck was in remarkably good shape.
This was despite no attempt to save or preserve it from the flames.
He bought this 4×2 Prerunner back in 2019 before racking up 79,000 miles but has driven a Tacoma for over 20 years due to being ‘happy with their versatility, reliability, and serviceability‘.
Despite melted rubber and plastic, yellowed paint, and dirty windows, the truck showed enormous durability and no significant mechanical issues.
In fact, Sanders was able to start it immediately – even the headlights and blinkers work.
His message to Toyota on his YouTube video was clear: “Thank you for making trucks that are impervious to the flames. Even the Eaton Fire can’t kill a Tacoma. Let’s go places indeed!”
The keys had been left in the house but Envision Toyota of West Covina provided a new key for free, while volunteers and businesses helped displaced families with goods and supplies.
Meanwhile, a Tesla driver had a similar experience and claims he’ll ‘never buy another brand again’ after his car ‘literally saved his life’.
The ongoing California wildfires crisis
While Sanders has expressed gratitude that he is ‘fortunate to have stable finances and solid employment’ others aren’t so lucky.
Sanders highlighted the urgent need for housing, warned against rent price gouging, and stressed the importance of organized recovery efforts to avoid hindering responders.
He urged people to support organizations including the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and the Pasadena Humane Society.
“When I first found the truck appeared to be ok I popped the hood to check for mechanical/electrical damage but the radiator, and everything behind it looked to be intact,” Sanders said, per Jalopnik.
“I was able to get back to the truck and try to start it and it turned over and started just like any other day. I was able to drive it out of the impacted area.
“We are now driving the truck as normal to help us get our lives back together,” Sanders told us.
He added that ‘it made my day,’ which is no small feat given the circumstances.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
