E-bike battery considered possible cause of West 6th apartment fire

from Eugene Springfield Fire

Eugene Springfield Fire responded to an apartment fire near downtown Eugene after being alerted Saturday, Aug. 10 at 9:01 p.m. Callers reported a fire in a second-floor apartment in the 1100 block of West 6th Avenue.

Firefighters arrived to find fire in a second-floor unit, and quickly deployed hose lines for fire attack. A search was conducted with no victims located. 

Engine 2 from the Whiteaker Station arrived five minutes after dispatch, the search was complete and the fire was under control 11 minutes after the dispatch. Thanks to a quick response by several crews, the fire was confined to a room in the apartment of origin.

There were no injuries reported and preliminary information indicated the fire was caused by a lithium-ion battery in an e-bike. The ESF Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating. 

The Eugene Springfield Fire Marshal’s Office notes that the popularity of electric bikes and electric scooters (e-bikes and e-scooters) has taken off over the past few years. Lithium-ion batteries are usually the source of power for both, and if not used correctly, or if damaged, those batteries can catch on fire or explode.

Whether you use e-bikes or e-scooters as your main way of getting around, or just for fun, there are important safety tips to keep in mind when charging or storing these devices:

• Damaged or defective batteries can overheat, catch fire, or explode
• Lithium-ion battery fires give off toxic gases and they burn extremely hot.

Safety Tips:

• Only purchase and use devices, batteries, and charging equipment that are listed by a nationally recognized testing lab and labeled accordingly.
• Always follow the instructions from the manufacturer.
• Only use the battery and the charger that were designed for, and came with, the device.
• Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged.
• Only charge one device or device battery at a time to prevent overloading the circuit.
• Keep batteries at room temperature when possible. Do not charge them at temperatures below 32°F (0°C) or above 105°F (40°C).
• Do not store batteries in direct sunlight or inside hot vehicles and keep them away from children and liquids.
• Store e-bikes, e-scooters, and batteries away from exit doors and anything that can get hot or catch fire.
• Only have device repairs performed by a qualified professional.
• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in the trash. Recycling is always the best option. Take the batteries to a battery recycling location or contact your local waste department for disposal instructions.

If you see a fire … Leave the building immediately! Don’t try to fight the fire! Call 911!

Stop using the e-bike or e-scooter if you notice any of these problems with the battery:

• Unusual odor
• Change in color
• Too much heat
• Change in shape
• Leaking
• Smoking
• Not keeping a charge.

For more information, visit nfpa.org/ebikes.