On September 29, a fire broke out at the Ningde Times New Energy Z Base in Ningde City, Fujian Province. A video circulating online shows a white multi-story building engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing and flames shooting up amidst the smoke.
According to a report by Caixin Global, on-site witnesses mentioned that the fire started around 11 a.m.
A resident nearby told the Beijing News that she noticed the fire around noon on the 29th and by almost 3 p.m., the fire was still raging. She described, “I could see the flames, and the smoke was thick.”
An employee at a nearby shop told 21st Century Business Herald that the fire occurred around 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on that day, with about a dozen fire trucks arriving at the scene.
The manager of a restaurant operating behind the Ningde Times Z Base mentioned that around 12:30 p.m., they smelled smoke and described the fire as significant. Initially, the firefighters had difficulty accessing a part of the building but later found alternative routes to enter. The fire had not been extinguished by that time.
The restaurant manager also noted that their establishment mainly focuses on takeout orders with few dine-in customers. However, on the 29th, there was a continuous flow of people coming in for dine-in services. They mentioned, “A lot of people came, around 1 p.m. another group of eight or nine people came, all from the ‘new energy’ section. While dining, they were discussing the incident and were all evacuated.” However, these staff members seemed unaware of the cause of the fire.
When contacted for clarification, Ningde Times has yet to respond, and the exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
On September 29, the Dongqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone Fire Rescue Brigade issued a statement stating that no casualties had been reported.
However, according to the Beijing News, staff from the Ningde Emergency Center mentioned that three individuals had been transported to the Ningde Normal College Affiliated Hospital (Dongqiao Campus).
Established in 2011, Ningde Times New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a member of Ningde Times, is based in Ningde City, Fujian Province. It is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of electrical machinery and equipment.