E-Bike Manufacturer Has Third Fire in Less Than a Year
A Dutch e-bike manufacturer saw its third fire in seven months last week, losing a few dozen bikes as a blaze broke out in its showroom and headquarters.
The fire destroyed 36 bicycles and 80 batteries at Stella’s company headquarters in Nunspeet, a town about 45 miles east of Amsterdam. No injuries were reported.
“The exact cause of the fire is now being investigated,” Stella said in a public statement. “We are quite startled, but we are glad that much damage was prevented because fire crews were on the scene quickly.”
It was far from Stella’s first or even biggest problem with a major fire. Last July, a company warehouse storing 3,000 e-bikes and 6,000 batteries went up in flames, letting off toxic smoke that irritated nearby residents’ eyes and kept firefighters at a distance, making the blaze difficult to put out or contain. Some 300 people in Nunspeet had to evacuate their homes, and the building ultimately collapsed.
Nunspeet’s mayor at the time told Dutch press that the fire was a “wake-up call,” though four months later a Stella van transporting e-bikes caught fire and was also destroyed.
It’s important to note that e-bike fires, often caused by malfunctions in their lithium-ion batteries, are uncommon. They often occur when riders take a DIY approach and install aftermarket kits to upgrade their non-electric bikes themselves. Such was the case when a modified Pinarello Dogma F8 caught fire in Australia last week, burning the 79-year-old cyclist and causing a small bushfire in the process.
An electric bike has exploded into flames at Montacute, burning its elderly rider and sparking a dangerous scrub fire. @EdwardGodfrey9 #9News pic.twitter.com/IsuZ2C5ctX
- Nine News Adelaide (@9NewsAdel) January 14, 2019
Experts advise that e-bike batteries should not be charged if they have been damaged in any way, which includes drops and dings. They also shouldn’t be left on a charging dock for extended periods of time, even if the dock has an automatic shut-off system. Ideally, charging batteries aren’t left unattended at all. Furthermore, e-bike companies should use storage facilities with certified lithium extinguishing systems.
Stella’s recent fires are outliers in the industry. However, given its track record, the company said it will take preventive measures and build a bunker-type storage area in its new building to prevent any additional fires from spreading in the future.
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