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A massive fire broke out at Chinese EV giant BYD's parking garage facility in Shenzhen on Tuesday morning. No casualties were reported. The company said the isolated incident occurred at a garage that served as a parking area for ‘test and scrapped vehicles'.
A file image of Chinese EV maker BYD's logo on a car. A fire broke out at BYD's parking garage in Shenzhen. (Reuters)Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD on Tuesday (local time) said that a fire broke out in a parking garage in Shenzhen Industrial Park this morning, Reuters reported.
In a statement, the carmaker noted that the garage was a parking area for "test and scrapped vehicles" and that the fire had been extinguished. It also added that no casualties had been reported.
BYD's global headquarters is located in the Pingshan district in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Video footage showed a large fire sending thick black smoke into the sky as flames stretched across a long section of a multi-storey building, with fire trucks and police deployed to the site.
Reuters report citing experts noted that EVs burn differently than vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE), with fires often lasting longer and being harder to extinguish as they have a tendency to reignite.
Preliminary investigation rules out battery safety issues
According to a China Daily report, preliminary investigations by local fire authorities and BYD have ruled out battery safety issues as the cause of the fire.
The initial investigation further showed that the incident did not involve any battery-related safety issues, nor did it affect production vehicles or those in use by customers. The fire was caused by improper external construction operations, and there was no battery self-ignition or quality problem with mass-produced vehicles.
As per the report, authorities and BYD have clarified these points to reassure the public about EV safety, emphasising that the incident was an isolated, operations-related accident, not a defect in vehicle technology or manufacturing.
Previous BYD fire incidents
According to media reports, while this is an isolated incident, it is not the first one. Over the course of years, several fire incidents have been reported across countries involving China's biggest EV maker.
In November 2021, a BYD Qin Pro caught fire after a man in Beijing took his family out for dinner and left the car to charge. As per reports, the man heard some strange noise as he came back, following which the car caught fire. While BYD denied the explosion at the time, it said that it was investigating the case. According to media reports, similar incidents had been reported previously- in Shenzhen in May 2020 and Yantai and Yuncheng in October 2020.
NationThailand reported another incident in September 2023, where a brand-new ATTO 3 car emitted smoke while charging. BYD Rever Thailand, the authorised distributor, after an investigation, said, "After thorough investigation, our engineers have found damage to a wire connecting to the 12-volt battery." In a Facebook post, it added, "The damage created the heat that burnt through the adjacent air-conditioning tube, causing the refrigerant to leak out,“ and noted, "The smoke was caused by the refrigerant reacting with the heat, but there were no flames.”
BYD recalls vehicles over fire risks
According to a Reuters report, BYD, in January 2025, recalled at least 6,843 Fangchengbao Bao 5 plug-in hybrid off-road SUVs over fire risks. In September 2024, it also recalled nearly 97,000 Dolphin and Yuan Plus EVs due to a manufacturing fault involving a steering control unit that posed risks of fire.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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