Electric scooter explodes, fills apartment building with smoke in Portland

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - On Tuesday, an electric scooter’s battery exploded and filled several hallways with smoke at an apartment building in Portland, according to the fire department.

At 8:50 a.m. Portland Fire & Rescue got a 911 call from a resident at an apartment complex in Piedmont about an explosion on the second floor.

When crews arrived five minutes later, they found smoke in the first, second, and third-floor hallways and a stairwell.

A couple of minutes later, they found the scooter on a landing in the stairwell. Firefighters took the scooter outside.

There was reportedly no fire damage to the building and no one was hurt.

People living at the apartment complex said they heard an explosion and rushed outside.

“It was like, boom,” Dale, who lives at the apartment complex, said. “I went up to get my neighbor because she has a cat and upstairs was already all smoky and everything and people started coming out of the building and then we came out. There’s water damage and stuff.”

“It caught fire,” Tyrone, who lives at the apartment complex, said. “People had to evacuate the complex.”

Portland Fire & Rescue would like remind people that lithium-ion batteries can pose a threat if not treated properly.

These batteries are found in electric bikes and scooters, cars, laptops, tablets, phones, and common household devices. Like any product, a small number of these batteries can be defective and can overheat, catch fire, or explode. Lithium-ion battery fires have caused deaths, injuries, and serious fires nationwide. These fires burn hot and fast and can emit large amounts of toxic smoke.

If using any devices powered by lithium-ion batteries:

--Be sure any equipment has the Underwriter Laboratories (UL) mark.

--Follow manufacturers’ instructions for charging and storage.

--Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed, or on a couch.

--Keep batteries/devices stored at room temperature. Do not place in direct sunlight.

--Store batteries away from anything flammable.

--Do not charge or store battery-operated devices or scooters in stairways/stairwells, exit pathways, or in front of exit doors. We recommend actively charging this equipment only while you are home.

--If a battery overheats or you notice an odor, change in shape/color, cracks, leaking, or odd noises coming from a device, discontinue use immediately. If safe to do so, move the device away from anything that can catch fire and call 911.

--Inspect all lithium-ion battery-powered equipment and chargers for frayed or cracked cords and replace if necessary.

For safe battery disposal/recycling information, please see this link from the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability: portland.gov/bps/garbage-recycling/battery-recycling

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