Tesla investigating vehicle fire in Shanghai garage

The Tesla vehicle burst into flames after spewing smoke in an underground garage in Xuhui District’s Taide Garden community at about 8 p.m. on Sunday. The fire also affected other vehicles parked nearby.

Local residents in the high-rise were evacuated following the fire. Due to the strong smell, firefighters were blocked from entering the garage to contain the fire for a while, and all they could do was spray water inside.

A video with the hashtag “Tesla self-ignites” was widely shared on China’s Twitter-like Weibo.

In a statement on Weibo, Tesla said, “We are currently contacting relevant departments to understand the situation. Based on current information, no one was hurt.”

In February, a driver of a 2016 Tesla Model S was killed when the vehicle lost control, struck a tree, and burst into flames in Florida. In response at the time, Tesla said that high-speed collisions can result in fire in any type of car, not just electric vehicles. In March, a Tesla Model 3 owner died in a tragic collision with a semi truck.