Fires involving e-bikes and scooters have become a problem in Maryland, mostly due to user error, fire experts told 11 News Investigates. In addition to e-bikes and scooters, lithium-ion batteries power many of the devices that Marylanders use every day. , including cellphones, power drills, computers and electric vehicles. Experts said it is important to note that batteries are not inherently dangerous, but the way people treat them can be “… once they are done, they’re not unplugging them. It’s a danger to homes,” Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci told 11 News Investigates. In a report by 11 News Investigates that aired on Wednesday, if you weren’t worried. about gas cars that catch fire, experts said that you should not worry about an electric vehicle that catches fire. What you need to know: Electric vehicle fires can be especially dangerous because of lithium-ion batteries. How prevalent are EV fires in Maryland? 11 News Investigates explains. But the perspective of experts changes when it comes to e-bikes and scooters, especially when the devices are treated improperly and people try to save money by buying cheaper equipment that compromises safety features. “The biggest problem is the no. -Compatibility, you know, people who buy chargers off-the-shelf,” Geraci told 11 News Investigates. Fire marshal calls e-bike, scooter fires “a growing problem” in Maryland Geraci told 11 News Investigates that cooking remains the No. 1 cause of fires throughout Maryland, but he called e-bikes and scooters a growing problem. He told 11 News Investigates that there have been 67 fire deaths so far this year in Maryland from all types of fires, putting 2023 on pace to be the deadliest year for wildfires in Maryland since at least 2007, when 94 people died in fires “. We lost a tremendous amount of people this year, and these things do not need. They are all preventable fires,” said Geraci. Video below: EV fires and lithium-ion batteries New York Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh expressed urgency at a June press conference held after a fire killed several people. “You often hear that early warning is the best way to save in a fire. That’s not the case with e-bikes,” said Kavanagh. “It is very clear that this was caused by lithium-ion batteries. The volume of fire created by these lithium-ion batteries is incredibly deadly.” Data from the new website of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, which tracks the lithium-ion battery fires across the state, shows that batteries have been responsible for 30 fires across Maryland since data reporting began in April. Of the 30 fires, 18 were residential fires.| LINK: Maryland Lithium-Ion Fire Reporting Data — Interactive Dashboard “Hopefully, this message gets out and they take these things seriously,” Geraci said. Geraci said the website’s data is not for a larger purpose, but to keep the public. informed He said there is still no evidence that one battery brand or manufacturer is particularly problematic. The fires have changed – it takes more water to put them out “You have as little time today as you had any other time in history to get out of your house. The fires have changed,” said Geraci. Baltimore County Fire Chief Tim Rostkowski said not only have fires changed, but the way fire departments respond has changed as well. In Baltimore County, Rostkowski said firefighters sweep a home after putting out a fire specifically to find lithium-ion batteries. “We have to automatically remove them from the house, and we have to get rid of them. We’re not going. to take them back with the fire gloves that we wear because they can melt through our fire gloves,” said Rostkowski. “If it’s on fire or if it’s been involved in a fire, don’t pick it up with your hands. Get away from it. Call 911.” Fires involving lithium-ion batteries can reach the temperature close to 1000 degrees. So instead of picking up the batteries, Rostkowski said firefighters use a shovel to move the battery into specialized black cans. and one of these metal cans, we will seal the barrel. This stuff is very, very effective,” said Rostkowski. The material is very effective, and really expensive, but Rostkowski said it is necessary, considering a lithium-ion battery fire. It may require about 1,000 liters of water to put out. For context, a typical fire truck can only carry between 500 and 750 liters of water. catch the second and third and fourth and fifth (cells) and all the way of the line “, Rostkowski said. Properly maintaining lithium-ion batteries is important for safety Rostkowski and Geraci said follow a few simple rules. keep batteries in good condition, including: Do not charge batteries. Unplug the device once it is fully charged. If the battery shows swelling or has an odor, stop using it. Make sure you have a clear path to the door. “We always recommend using the manufacturer’s recommended charger with any lithium-ion battery product,” Rostkowski said.
Fires involving e-bikes and scooters have become a problem in Maryland, mostly due to user error, fire experts told 11 News Investigates.
In addition to e-bikes and scooters, lithium-ion batteries power many of the devices Marylanders use every day, including cell phones, drills, computers and electric vehicles.
Experts said it is important to note that batteries are not inherently dangerous, but the way people handle them can be.
“People are just, you know, leaving it in charge and … once they’re done, they’re not unplugging them. It’s a danger to homes,” Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci told 11 News Investigates.
In a year 11 News Investigates report that went out on WednesdayIf you weren’t worried about gas cars catching fire, experts said you shouldn’t worry about an electric vehicle either.
- What you need to know: Electric vehicle fires can be especially dangerous because of lithium-ion batteries. How prevalent are EV fires in Maryland? 11 News Investigates explains.
But the perspective of experts changes when it comes to e-bikes and scooters, especially when the devices are treated improperly and people try to save money by buying cheaper equipment that compromises safety features.
“The biggest problem is non-compatibility, you know, people buying off-the-shelf chargers,” Geraci told 11 News Investigates.
Fire marshal calls e-bike, scooter fires “growing problem” in Maryland
Geraci told 11 News Investigates that cooking remains the number one cause of fires in Maryland, but called e-bikes and scooters a growing problem. He told 11 News Investigates that there have been 67 fire deaths so far this year in Maryland from all types of fires, putting 2023 on pace to be the deadliest year for wildfires in Maryland since at least 2007, when 94 people died in fires.
“We’ve lost a tremendous amount of people this year, and those things are unnecessary. They’re all preventable fires,” Geraci said.
Video below: EV fires and lithium-ion batteries
New York City Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh expressed the urgency at a June press conference held after the the fire killed many people.
“You often hear that early warning is the best way to save in a fire. That’s not the case with e-bikes,” said Kavanagh. “It is very clear that this was caused by lithium-ion batteries. The volume of fire created by these lithium-ion batteries is incredibly deadly.”
Data from the The new Maryland State Fire Marshal website, which tracks lithium-ion battery fires across the state, shows that batteries have been responsible for 30 fires across Maryland since data reporting began in April. Of the 30 fires, 18 were residential fires.
| LINK: : Maryland lithium-ion fire reporting data – Interactive dashboard
“Hopefully, this message gets out and they take these things seriously,” Geraci said.
Geraci said the website’s data is not for a larger purpose, but to keep the public informed. He said that there is still no evidence that a brand of batteries or a manufacturer is particularly problematic.
Fires have changed – it takes more water to put them out
“You have as little time today as you have had any other time in history to get out of your house. The fires have changed,” said Geraci.
Baltimore County Fire Chief Tim Rostkowski said not only have the fires changed, but so has the response of fire departments. In Baltimore County, Rostkowski said firefighters are sweeping a home after putting out a fire specifically to find lithium-ion batteries.
“We have to remove them automatically from the house, and we have to get rid of them. We don’t have to take them with the fire gloves that we wear because they can melt with our fire gloves,” Rostkowski. he said. “If it’s on fire or if it’s been involved in a fire, don’t pick it up with your hands. Get away from it. Call 911.”
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries can reach temperatures close to 1000 degrees. So instead of picking up the batteries, Rostkowski said firefighters use a shovel to turn the battery into specialized black cans.
“They are packed with this material, which is almost like a pelletized glass. We put them in this material and one of these metal cans, we saw the barrel. This stuff is very, very effective.” Rostkowski said.
The material is very effective, and really expensive, but Rostkowski said it is necessary, considering that a lithium-ion battery fire can require about 1,000 liters of water to extinguish. For context, a typical fire truck can only carry between 500 and 750 gallons of water.
“These 80 little batteries that are in an e-bike or an e-scooter, if we don’t have the first one at all, it will capture the second and the third and the fourth and the fifth (cells) and up to the line Rostkowski said.
Properly maintaining lithium-ion batteries is important for safety
Rostkowski and Geraci said following a few simple rules will keep batteries in good condition, including:
- Do not overcharge the batteries. Unplug the device once it is fully charged.
- If the battery shows swelling or has an odor, stop using it.
- Do not charge the battery from an outlet in your home. Make sure you have a clear path to the door.
“We always recommend that you use the manufacturer’s recommended charger with any lithium-ion battery product,” Rostkowski said.
