MIAMI — They’re increasingly common on city streets across Miami, weaving through traffic and keeping pace with cars. E-bikes have become a popular and convenient way to get around, but the lithium-ion batteries that power them are now drawing increased scrutiny from fire officials concerned about safety.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responds to dozens of incidents each month involving lithium-ion batteries.
“We average responding to 40 to 50 investigations a month,” said Capt. Gerard Forrester of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
As e-bike use continues to grow, Forrester said the batteries can quickly become dangerous, even when the bikes are not in motion and are simply charging.
Cellphone video captured firefighters battling an intense backyard fire that tore through a wooden shed in northeast Miami-Dade. Officials said the blaze illustrates how quickly lithium-ion battery fires can escalate.
“Sheds are not air-conditioned, and they get a couple hundred degrees and direct sunlight in Miami,” Forrester said.
Fire officials warn that storing or charging e-bikes near combustible materials can worsen the damage if a battery overheats.
“If you do have to leave it outside, don’t put it against the wall or any possible material near it, like paper or any kind of garbage that may, if it goes into thermal runaway, aid in the extension of the fire,” Forrester said.
A department demonstration shows how lithium batteries can overheat, particularly when exposed to direct sunlight.
“Direct sunlight is not the ideal thing,” Forrester said, adding that charging should be done carefully. “If you’re going to charge something, preferably it would be outside your garage.”
Earlier this month, fast-moving flames ripped through a duplex in the Brownsville neighborhood of northwest Miami-Dade. Investigators said an e-bike left charging inside the home is now at the center of the investigation.
“People are losing everything, and it’s devastating for our community,” Forrester said.
Fire officials emphasized that lithium-ion battery fires are especially difficult to extinguish.
“A lithium battery vehicle or electric vehicle — you dunk it in water, it’s still going to burn,” Forrester said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue continues urging residents to take precautions when storing and charging e-bikes to reduce the risk of fire.
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