Tesla investigates after parked car erupts into huge fireball in a car park in Shanghai
- The Model S was in an underground car park in a Shanghai gated community
- Its owner said the car he bought for £82,575 was not being charged at the time
- All that remained of the car was its charred shell and an Audi and Lexus parked next to it were also severely damaged by the fire
- Tesla have confirmed there were no casualties and are investigating the incident
A Tesla has burst into flames in a car park in Shanghai, prompting an investigation by the electric car company.
This video, which has already amassed more than 22 million views on Chinese social media site Weibo shows a Model S erupting in a huge ball of fire.
The £82,500 car had been left in the underground car park inside the Taidi Flower Garden residential community in Shanghai's Xuhui District in East China before it caught fire.
A white Tesla Model S is parked in an underground car park in a gated community in Shanghai
The viral footage from yesterday shows the white Tesla emitting smoke from its undercarriage.
The all-electric five-door then suddenly bursts into flames which engulf all of the vehicle.
The burning Tesla covers the car park in smoke and fire, with images taken in the aftermath showing the electric vehicle having been completely charred to its shell.
Two neighbouring cars, an Audi and a Lexus, were also severely damaged by the blaze, reports said.
The car, which was not being charged at the time, starts to emit smoke from its undercarriage
The £82,575 vehicle then suddenly erupts into a ball of fire, charring it to its shell and severely damaging the Audi and Lexus parked next to it
The Xuhui fire service said 15 fire engines were sent to the affluent gated community to tackle the fire, which took half an hour to put out.
Residents living in the high-rises above were evacuated during the operation, with no injuries reported so far.
The owner of the Tesla Model S, who did not give his name, said his vehicle was not being charged at the time of the fire as it had been supercharged just a few hours earlier.
Chief Executive Officer of Tesla, Elon Musk, is yet to comment publicly on the incident
He said he purchased it at a 30-percent discount for £82,575 because it had been used as the dealership's test-drive vehicle.
It had recorded about 37,000 miles in three and a half years.
Elon Musk is yet to comment on the incident but the company said investigations are ongoing and they have dispatched a team to the scene.
Tesla wrote on its Weibo account: 'We're actively contacting and cooperating with relevant departments to learn more about the incident.
'Based on current information, there were no casualties.'
