A fire that broke out Saturday at a Surrey business that sells e-bikes and e-scooters was difficult to get under control because of the presence of lithium-ion batteries, which fueled the blaze. Firefighters were called to EV Revolution on 104th Avenue near 139 street around 7 p.m. for reports of smoke coming from the business, according to Surrey Fire Service Asst. Chief Mike McNamara. While there’s no indication that the batteries caused the fire, McNamara said their presence made conditions challenging for crews. “They got into the building and the smoke was extremely thick, so it was difficult to navigate in the building to find the seat of the fire,” he explained. “It got to the point where the batteries that were part of the e-scooters, the bikes, were starting to catch fire which was creating a significant amount of heat and smoke. So, eventually they had to pull out and just make a defensive attack.” Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are more intense and more difficult to extinguish, which meant Saturday’s blaze took more than six hours to get under control. No one was injured although one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, according to McNamara. Fire departments across Metro Vancouver have issued warnings about an increase in lithium-ion batteries as e-bikes and scooters have increased in popularity. McNamara said this incident presents an opportunity for people to reacquaint themselves with the risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and what can be done to prevent fires. More information about lithium-ion battery safety can be found online.
