ALERT: Major e-scooter warning after dramatic house fire

A family had a lucky escape when a recently purchased e-scooter went on fire while it was being charged.

Dublin Fire Brigade were called to a fire in a house earlier this week where an e-scooter, on its first charge, was alight.

It had only been used once earlier that day and was bought new imported from China. It carried a CE mark.

The fire, which was in a building connected to the house, caused the house to fill with toxic smoke.

However, there were no injuries as the smoke alarms alerted the residents.

The fire service has warned that there are some serious fire risks around the charging of the li-ion batteries in e-scooters, e-bicycles and hoverboards.

The damage caused by the fire

The fire service has also issued advice on what steps to follow when buying an e-scooter.

When choosing and buying a model, you should always:

- Buy from reputable retailer.

- If you choose to buy online from an auction site or company which is unfamiliar to you, you may be compromising your consumer rights and warranty. You may also be risking your safety. The product may not reach the safety standards that you expect.

- Make sure the e-scooter, e-bicycle or hoverboard has a genuine CE mark, but do not rely on this solely. Information on identifying genuine or counterfeit CE marks can be found on the website of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission www.ccpc.ie/consumers/product-safety/product-safety/#CEMark

- Check the packaging for traceable information such as the name and contact details of manufacturer.

- If the instruction manual is missing, not in English, or has spelling/grammar mistakes you should return the product.

- If you are buying second-hand you will not know the product’s history. You should have the device checked by a reputable technician.

Charging and battery safety

Lithium-ion batteries or li-ion batteries (sometimes called LIBs) are the lightweight batteries that power e-scooters, e-bicycles and hoverboards. They are safe when they are used properly, but present a fire risk if they are over-charged, short-circuited, submerged in water or if they are damaged.

Use the charger that came with the product to charge it. If you need a replacement source a genuine charger from the manufacturer or retailer.

Charge outside if possible. NEVER charge in a the communal space of an apartment block. This a protected fire escape route.

If you must charge inside, charge in a location that will still allow you to escape from all the rooms in your home. For example, do not charge it in the hallway. Plan your escape routes in advance.

Charge only for as long as it takes to reach a full charge. Do not charge overnight.

Unplug the charger if you are leaving your home, even for a short while.

Never cover the e-scooters, e-bicycle or hoverboards with insulators, such as coats or jumpers and so on. The battery will heat up during use and during charging and this heat needs to dissipate.

If you notice your e-scooter, e-bicycle or hoverboard behaving erratically, this could be a sign the battery is damaged and needs replacing.