Fire breaks out at CATL factory that supplies e-car batteries to Tesla

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

There were no immediate reports of injuries from the blaze at the factory in the coastal city of Ningde, CATL’s base in eastern Fujian province, according to a statement from the Dongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone.

According to CNN, emergency services were sent to the factory to fight the fire and organize the evacuation of anyone inside the 15,000 square meter (160,000 square foot) site.

Videos posted by Chinese media outlet Kailianshi on the social media site Weibo showed parts of a large white building on fire with thick gray smoke billowing into the air.

Founded in 2011, CATL produces more than a third of electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide for automakers including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai.