Just like you can get a patent on anything by adding "with a computer" you can get traction for any news story by adding "in a tesla" to it. A fire in any car would be horrifying, but it's not really that newsworthy. Gas cars catch on fire all the time.
Dubai - car catches on fire twice!
https://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/car-catches-fire-tw...
Didn't quite make the us news. Cars catch on fire at amusement park, Teslas apparently not involved http://abc11.com/several-cars-catch-fire-in-parking-lot-of-c...