Toronto’s fire chief is sounding the alarm over the possible dangers of e-bikes, sharing a video of one catching fire on Sunday morning.
In a statement on social media platform X late Monday morning, Jim Jessop said “firefighters are facing these far too frequently and they present unique challenges.”
Since monitoring began in 2022, the fire service reports seeing a 200 per cent increase in the amount of annual e-bike-related fires in the city.
He said these challenges include “flying battery cells, toxic smoke [and] extreme smoke.”
According to Jessop, the fire in the video took place at a home on Mayhill Crescent in Scarborough.
“The entire house was consumed because the fire intensity of the lithium ion batteries,” said Jessop.
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In the footage retrieved by the fire service from a dashcam, the bike can be seen catching fire almost instantly. Glowing projectiles and a dark smoke appear to shoot out of the blaze shortly after it starts.
Jessop said the garage was “gutted” and that the fire extended into the main floor, meaning there will need to be significant renovation and construction.
Sunday’s blaze wasn’t the only example of an e-bike catching fire in recent days. Jessop also pointed to a fire that happened Monday morning at a highrise building on Lawrence Avenue E.
Jessop said three people were transported to hospital as a result of that fire. Scarborough Rouge Park Coun. Nathan Shan said the three had non-life-threatening injuries.
“A fire like this can be frightening and deeply unsettling for an entire building,” Shan said of the Monday fire.
Shan said in a social media post on Monday that his office is in contact with Toronto Community Housing and will continue to monitor the situation and provide support to residents as needed.
According to Jessop, not all such bikes are dangerous, just ones with “off-market” batteries.
These are batteries that are either damaged or altered to gain a longer charge.
“Make sure that if you buy one of these batteries, you buy a battery that comes with a standard, you know, either ULC or CSA,” said Jessop.
A battery with a ULC means it is certified by the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada standards. A CSA battery is approved by a different group called the Canadian Standards Association.
“Don’t alter, try to change the battery or enhance the battery and use the charging station that came with the battery as opposed to trying to use one that does not,” said Jessop.
