China's BYD EV catches fire as driver narrowly escapes burning cabin

A BYD Seal electric sedan caught fire on Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun Road, causing traffic disruption. Preliminary investigations at a BYD service center revealed that the fire was not caused by the vehicle itself but by an external power bank left on the passenger seat, which likely experienced a short circuit or thermal runaway, igniting cabin materials. Despite extensive damage to the upper cabin, BYD confirmed that the core propulsion and electrical systems, including its Blade Battery, remained intact and were not responsible for the incident. The BYD Seal’s battery pack, based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, demonstrated significant thermal resilience during the fire. Unlike conventional nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries that can enter thermal runaway at around 390°F, LFP batteries typically withstand temperatures above 930°F without failure. The battery’s structural design, featuring a honeycomb-style layout integrated into the chassis (Cell-to-Body construction), enhances safety by acting as a load-bearing component and providing robust protection against heat and