More than 30 Chinese-made hybrid cars that caught fire today had already been sold to customers. The Jaecoo vehicles had been bought by drivers and were in the care of National Vehicle Distribution (NVD). One representative at NVD today told a reporter: 'No stories mate, they're our customers' cars so it's confidential.'
Blaze at Southampton Docks
Black smoke filled the sky of the port city of Southampton as 33 cars burned in the docks. The 33 vehicles were estimated to be worth more than £900,000 in total, based on a starting price of £27,505 per vehicle. Ten fire engines attended the blaze at the Western Docks in Southampton.
The vehicles were Chinese Jaecoo 5 hybrids. Emergency crews were called to the scene at 4:20 am, and the fire was brought under control by 6 am. The burnt-out cars are still at the site, surrounded by cordons waiting to be moved.
Eyewitness Account
Food technician Jacek Majchrzak, 44, who lives near the docks, said: 'I got up at about 5 am this morning and heard some sounds like 'boom, boom' or something. I ignored it and kept on going around doing stuff before work. I checked my calendar and saw it was bin collection day so I went out and I saw it. I think 'what on earth is going on'. It's thick black smoke and I can hear small explosions. I text my neighbours but by the time they were up at 6 am it was gone. I thought it was rubbish disposal or recycling or something. It smelled bad but I wasn't too worried.'
Official Statements
A spokesperson for Jaecoo UK said the company had been informed of the fire, that it was reported at around 4 am, brought under control within an hour, and was under investigation. Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns the land at the docks, had security ushering reporters away from the site.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement: 'Multiple crews were called at around 04:20 am on 3 June to a fire at a vehicle storage compound in Southampton. Firefighters used jets, the aerial ladder platform and ground monitors to fight the fire which involved 33 hybrid vehicles. At the height of the incident there were 10 fire engines, two water carriers, an aerial ladder platform and support vehicles on site. Due to significant smoke in the area residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed. There were no reported injuries.'
An ABP spokesperson said: 'There has been a fire in a vehicle storage compound in the Western Docks area of the Port of Southampton. All personnel are safely accounted for. The fire is well under control and has impacted around 25 vehicles. ABP staff are supporting the incident response services in their work.'
Market Success of Jaecoo
The Jaecoo 7 was the UK's most popular new car in March and the best-selling new car of 2026 to date according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It has been nicknamed the 'Temu Range Rover' because of its styling and lower price compared with luxury SUV brands. 10,064 Jaecoo 7s were registered in March alone, outselling the Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai. Despite only going on sale in January 2025, 26,048 Jaecoo 7s were sold during 2025, making it the fourth most popular retail car in the UK.
