Two in hospital following fire caused by charging e-bike in White Rock, N.S.

A photo shows the e-bike that was charging when the fire started. (Courtesy: Greenwich Fire Department)

The Greenwich Fire Department says two people were sent to hospital following a house fire caused by a charging e-bike.

The fire department says it responded to the house fire on Deep Hollow Road in White Rock, N.S., shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday.

Upon arrival, fire crews found the homeowners had extinguished most of the fire. However, two of the three occupants of the home were sent to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation.

According to a news release Sunday, the fire department says an e-bike being charged in the basement went into “thermal runaway,” causing a fire that spread into the ceiling.

One of the occupants of the home heard the bike battery exploding and went to the basement, where they located and removed the burning e-bike from the home.

Firefighters were on scene for about 90 minutes to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.

An adult male and female were both taken to the Valley Regional Hospital for further assessment.

Firefighters say fire damage to the home was contained to just the basement, but there is smoke damage in the remainder of the home.

‘Get out immediately’

The fire department says, while the homeowner’s actions prevented further damage, they do not recommend attempting to remove burning items from homes.

“Our advice during a fire is to get out immediately, call 911 and stay out,” said Greenwich Fire Chief Jason Ripley.

The fire department says the people inside the home indicated their efforts to report the incident to emergency services were initially hampered by poor cellphone reception in the area.

The fire department adds fires involving lithium-ion batteries like the ones used in e-bikes and scooters are becoming much more common, and is advising residents not to charge their bikes inside their homes.

“Folks with these devices should always ensure they are charged away from combustible materials and should ensure they are present during charging,” said Ripley.

Fire investigators are listing the cause of the fire as accidental following consultation with the Nova Scotia Office of the Fire Marshal.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page