Danger of fire due to e-bike battery: Kißlegg escapes worse!

Danger of fire due to e-bike battery: Kißlegg escapes worse!

A fire in an apartment building in Kißlegg on Sunday evening shortly before 6 p.m. caused excitement and hectic emergency operations. The fire was caused by an older bicycle battery diescreenzeitung.de reported. Residents jumped into action when they heard the smoke alarms sound. They woke up the sleeping resident and were able to get to safety before the fire department arrived.

Thanks to the rapid intervention of the fire brigade, the fire was quickly brought under control. Fortunately, there were no injuries to report, but the material damage caused by soot is estimated at several tens of euros. The affected apartment is currently uninhabitable and the police station in Vogt has started investigating the cause of the fire. The focus is particularly on possible DIY repairs to the bicycle battery, which could have led to the incident. In addition, a complaint was filed against the resident for a violation of the Narcotics Act because small amounts of drugs were seized in his apartment.

Dangers from e-bike batteries

E-bikes and their batteries are becoming increasingly popular. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were around 7.1 million electric bicycles in Germany in 2021, an increase of 1.2 million compared to the previous year. Despite their widespread use, careful handling of lithium-ion batteries is of great importance in order to avoid fire hazards. TÜV Süd highlights that improper handling of batteries can lead to dangerous situations.

The dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries should not be underestimated. They have a high energy density and can release energy uncontrollably, especially in the event of defects or overcharging. Such a thermal process can lead to explosive fires. Although the number of fires caused by e-bike batteries is relatively small, there are always tragic incidents like the one in Bremen in 2021 or in Isernhagen in 2022 that alarm the public.

Tips for safely charging e-bike batteries

The German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV) provides numerous important information on the safe handling of e-bike batteries in its information brochure. Komnet indicates that batteries should be charged after each use using only chargers approved by the manufacturer. These should be loaded in dry rooms and ideally at room temperature on flame-retardant surfaces.

• Ladegeräte nicht abdecken während des Ladevorgangs.
• Akkus niemals unbeaufsichtigt laden.
• Geräte bei Raumtemperatur und trocken lagern.
• Besondere Vorsicht bei beschädigten Akkus: diese nicht weiter verwenden!

In the event of a battery fire, the air supply should be stopped immediately and the fire department alerted. Attempts to extinguish the fire on your own are strongly discouraged, as burning batteries are difficult to extinguish.

In view of the dramatic incident in Kißlegg, it is even more important to be aware of the risks posed by e-bike batteries. People are constantly learning, and in the best case scenario we make smart decisions to avoid such situations.