Man wants everyone to see footage of e-bike battery explosion
A man said he wants everyone to see CCTV footage of a his e-bike battery exploding, causing his room to go up in flames.
The video, shared on social media by West Midlands Fire Service shows the terrifying moment the man goes to check on his bike before the battery explodes. The video shows the man edging back out of the room as smoke and sparks come from the battery.
There is then an explosion and flames take over the room. The fire service said the owner let them share the footage to show the dangers of charging items safely.
In the social media post, West Midlands Fire Service said: "Whether it's an e-bike or scooter, mobile phone or other device, ALWAYS charge safely."
This is followed by advice to the public to always follow the manufacturer's instructions, never leave an item charging while you're asleep or away from home, never charge where a fire could block your escape route and always unplug when the device is fully charged.
The warning comes after a number of fires involving e-bikes in Merseyside. On Sunday, January 8, firefighters were called to a home on Daisy Mews in Litherland following a fire. Two people died in the fire, which was caused accidentally by an e-bike that was left charging overnight[2].
At the time of the incident area manager for Merseyside Fire and Rescue, Mark Thomas, encouraged people to not leave electrical appliances charging unattended.
He said: "We would ask that people don’t leave any electrical appliance – particularly e-bikes and scooters - charging unattended and definitely not while you are asleep when we are all at our most vulnerable. Also consider if you are leaving the bike or scooter in the way of your escape route should you need to evacuate in darkness.
"I would also urge people to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, only using batteries and chargers which have been supplied with the vehicle or approved by the manufacturer. Make a bedtime routine ensuring all internal doors are closed as this will slow the progress of a fire if one should happen.
"In this incident the resident who raised the alarm was able to do so as smoke alarms had alerted them- please ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and check them regularly.”
Get the latest crime reports and investigations from Merseyside by signing up to our newsletter[3]
References
- ^ Men who joined carnage at Knowsley Suites hotel told to 'expect prison' (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Two people died in the fire, which was caused accidentally by an e-bike that was left charging overnight (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ newsletter (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)