MG5 Sedan Catches Fire While Parked in Front of Hotel in China

KOMPAS.com – Another vehicle fire has occurred, this time affecting the MG5 sedan in China. According to a report cited by Carnewschina on Wednesday (20 May 2026), the car caught fire while parked in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, on the night of 17 May 2026. According to several local reports, the car was parked outside a luxury hotel in an urban area when the fire suddenly broke out. So far there has been no official statement from MG, SAIC, or local authorities regarding the cause of the incident. Local residents who witnessed the incident shared photos and videos via Chinese social media such as WeChat and Rednote. From the circulated footage, the fire appears to have engulfed the cabin area up to the boot. This has raised speculation that the fire source did not originate from the engine bay. Residents also reported smelling thick smoke and a pungent odour during the blaze. The flames were even said to have spread to nearby vegetation around the parking area. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished quickly so it did not spread to other vehicles parked nearby. After the fire was put out, only the charred chassis with the MG emblem on the front wheel remained clearly visible. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown at present. The state of the car before the incident has not been disclosed. The incident has reignited debate over vehicle safety in China, for both electric cars and conventional internal-combustion-powered vehicles. Earlier, a Wuling Binguo was also reported to have caught fire while parked during Labour Day holidays in China. Not long ago, a case involving the Xiaomi SU7 also drew attention and sparked discussion about battery safety and vehicle safety standards in the Middle Kingdom. The Chinese government has even started tightening regulations, requiring the use of mechanical door handles and implementing a new battery standard titled “No Fire, No Explosion” which takes effect in July 2026. For information, the MG5 is a compact sedan from MG marketed by SAIC in China. The car is sold at prices from 47,900 yuan (about Rp 124 million) up to 78,900 yuan (about Rp 204 million). The model also previously drew attention when it entered the Australian market in 2023. In ANCAP safety testing, the MG5 received zero stars. ANCAP judged the dashboard of the car could cause injuries in a frontal collision. Protection against whiplash and side impact was also deemed inferior to its rivals. Interestingly, the results are markedly different from the MG4 EV, which managed to achieve five stars in the same safety testing.