Mass. fire officials issue alert after e-bike blazes

Fire officials throughout the state are issuing an alert for electric bike users, after e-bike batteries started fires in two seperate homes on back-to-back days, fire officials said.

Earlier this month, Falmouth fire crews responded to a Club Valley Drive home where a garage was ablaze, the state’s Department of Fire Services wrote in a press release.

Fire officials snuffed the fire out and successfully rescued a family pet, the release said. 

Investigators determined the fire was caused by a failing e-bike lithium-ion battery, the department said.

“The lithium-ion batteries in these devices can fail rapidly and violently if they’re damaged, defective, or recalled,” State Fire Marshal Davine said.

The next day, the Holyoke Fire Department responded to a fire at an Essex Street apartment building, fire officials said.

One of the tenants had been charging an e-bike battery in his apartment, when he noticed it start smoking, the release said.

The man put the battery into the kitchen sink, where it caught on fire, the Department of Fire Services said. 

Residents escaped without any injuries, and firefighters were able to contain the flames to the apartment, the department said.

“E-bikes and other micromobility devices have accounted for more than 20% of the incidents reported through an investigative checklist in use by the State Fire Marshal’s office and many local fire departments since 2023,” officials wrote.

Fire officials advise those using e-bike batteries to store e-bikes or electric scooters outside. If one does store them inside, keep them away from doors, stairways, and windows, officials said.

They also advise users to not use charging strips or cords when charging their battery.

Do not charge batteries on carpet or on a bed, fire officials said.

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