A massive fire broke out overnight on May 16 at a BYD showroom, leaving the building gutted and several vehicles destroyed, but thankfully no casualties were reported.
Videos circulated online depict thick smoke billowing from the showroom, casting an orange glow over the area as flames engulfed the building. The blaze, which started at 12:32 a.m. in Qingkou, Fujian Province, prompted the dispatch of seven fire trucks to the scene. Firefighters initially struggled to approach the intense flames but managed to largely extinguish the fire by 1:18 a.m.
BYD acknowledged the incident, stating that the fire likely originated in the office or roof of the second floor, possibly due to a short circuit or aging wiring. The company confirmed that there were no abnormalities in the batteries of the vehicles in the showroom, ruling out the vehicles as the cause of the fire.
The BYD store in Fuzhou, China was on fire today that consumed the building and vehicles inside. pic.twitter.com/9WPCo3QxHm
— Ray (@ray4tesla) May 16, 2024
This incident marks the 10th fire at a BYD store since October 2021, excluding factory incidents, raising concerns among consumers. BYD has pledged to cooperate with authorities in their investigation into the fire’s cause.
Despite the setback, BYD remains confident in the safety of its vehicles. However, the fire resulted in the destruction of seven vehicles and damaged several privately-owned vehicles at the location for repairs, amounting to an estimated 5 million yuan (approximately US$692,600) in damages.
福州比亚迪4S店火灾，数十辆车烧成空壳！5月16日凌晨，福建 #福州 闽侯县 #比亚迪 青口 #4S店 发生 #火灾，火光冲天，爆炸的巨响此起彼伏，响成一片。整个4S店被烧得只剩下钢架，数十辆车也被烧成空壳。 pic.twitter.com/R6in6Br9Qs
— 希望之聲 – 中國時局 (@SoundOfHope_SOH) May 16, 2024
