A man in China was left devastated after his newly purchased electric vehicle (EV) was completely destroyed in a fire, allegedly caused by a 10-year-old child setting off fireworks nearby.
According to Singtao Daily, the incident took place in Shandong, where the victim had parked his BYD Fangchengbao Leopard 8—a luxury EV worth over RMB 400,000 (approximately RM240,000)—by the roadside on January 30.
When he returned, he was met with a shocking scene: a crowd gathered around the burnt remains of his car.
I had just had a drink and was heading home. When I saw the crowd, I wondered why they were so interested in my car.
But as I got closer, all that was left was debris,” the owner told the Chinese daily.
Ineligible for insurance claims
He also lost all documents inside the vehicle, as everything was reduced to ashes.
Authorities later determined that the fire was started by a young child who had ignited fireworks near a trash bin beside the car.
The flames quickly spread, engulfing the vehicle.
Since the incident was not classified as a spontaneous vehicle fire, the insurance company informed the owner that he was not eligible for compensation.
The car owner has since sought legal advice and is working with the police to obtain relevant investigation reports for further negotiations with the insurance provider.
He also met with the child’s parents on February 8, who admitted their child’s involvement but stated they were financially unable to compensate for the damages.
He is currently considering whether to take legal action.
