GM Pasadena Studio Fire; Damage Disputed

A fire broke out at General Motors’ Advanced Design Center/Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena, California, on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, beginning around 5:45–6:00 p.m. local time. The blaze prompted a four‑alarm response of more than 100 firefighters and hazardous‑materials teams and was complicated by the presence of lithium‑ion batteries and gas‑powered prototypes; crews worked for over seven hours and remained on scene overnight to monitor for flare‑ups. Accounts differ on the extent of the damage: GM said the incident was contained to a single concept vehicle and did not spread to other vehicles or the building, while multiple local reports and eyewitnesses say several concept cars burned and the campus suffered smoke and water damage. A firefighter issued a mayday after becoming briefly trapped but was rescued without injury, and GM and officials reported no employee injuries as hazardous‑materials teams secure the site. The 149,000‑square‑foot, $71 million Pasadena design campus, which opened in 2024, remains closed pending an investigation, and GM said it is cooperating with authorities and thanked first responders.