Fire erupts at Chinese battery giant CATL plant

A fire broke out at a factory belonging to Chinese battery giant CATL, which supplies electric vehicle makers including Tesla, but there was no immediate word on the extent of damage, authorities said.

No casualties have yet been reported from the fire at the plant in the coastal city of Ningde, CATL's base in the eastern province of Fujian, a statement by the Dongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone said.

Emergency services were sent to the plant to fight the fire and to organise the evacuation of any people who were inside the 15,000 square metre (160,000 square feet) site, it said.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze just before 11.30 am local time (0330 GMT).

It was not immediately clear what was produced at the plant.

Videos published by the Chinese business media outlet Cailianshe, and posted on the Weibo social network, showed parts of a large white building in flames with thick gray smoke rising into the air.

AFP could not immediately verify the authenticity of the images.

CATL was founded in 2011 and produces more than a third of the electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide for automakers that include Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai.