Major fire at BYD's manufacturing plant; thick smoke sparks concern

BEIJING: A major fire broke out at a car manufacturing plant of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD. The fire started in a multi-level parking area within the plant. Thick black smoke rising from the site caused concern, but no casualties have been reported. According to reports, the fire was brought under control under the supervision of the local fire department.

The incident occurred at BYD’s manufacturing facility located in the Pingshan district of Shenzhen, China. The fire broke out in an area where test vehicles and unused cars were parked. Reports say that newly manufactured vehicles were not affected by the fire.

However, visuals circulating on social media show flames spreading across the multi-storey building. It reportedly took hours of intense effort to extinguish the fire. Initial assessments suggest that poor structural design of the building may have contributed to the spread of the fire. Officials added that the exact cause can only be determined after a detailed investigation.