One person is dead after an e-bike’s lithium battery caught fire, San Jose firefighters said.
At 8:30 a.m. Friday, the San Jose Fire Department responded to a 911 call at an apartment on Norwalk Drive. They discovered that two people were inside the residence when they noticed the e-bike’s battery “sparking and smoking.” One person ran outside to call for help, while the other attempted to put out the fire.
Due to the intensity of the fire, the second person fled the home shortly after, collapsing outside. A neighbor began CPR while first responders were on the way, and the person was transported to a nearby hospital. They died there of their injuries. The victim was not identified.
San Jose fire officials warned that lithium-ion batteries are highly toxic when ablaze due to “highly irritating gases” like carbon monoxide.
“Even trained firefighters do not enter smoke-filled environments without proper protective gear and self-contained breathing apparatus, because exposure can be deadly within moments,” the department wrote on Facebook.
If you see a lithium battery smoking, do not attempt to stop the fire. Leave immediately and call 911. “When a battery ignites, escaping to safety should always be your priority,” San Jose fire officials said.