Faulty e-bike battery started blaze at Saskatoon commercial building

The Saskatoon Fire Department says a faulty e-bike battery sparked a weekend fire that destroyed a business on Circle Drive.

The Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) says a faulty e-bike battery sparked a weekend fire that destroyed a business on Circle Drive.

Shortly before 10 p.m., crews were called to Battery Boyz and Bolt Mobile on the 700 block of Circle Drive East after heavy smoke was reported at the building, Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD) said in a news release.

The first arriving engine reported thick smoke coming from a large commercial structure which prompted a second‑alarm response.

Firefighters used multiple large-diameter hose lines to attack the flames and forced their way into the building to gain access. A track hoe was brought in to knock holes in the walls to help crews put out the fire.

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Saskatoon police closed four blocks of Circle Drive to keep crews safe during the operation.

The fire department says the blaze has been brought under control with no injuries reported.

A fire investigator determined the battery that ignited the blaze was in a testing room that caught fire and spread through the structure. Damage is estimate at $1.5 million dollars.