Man's death from battling e-bike lithium-ion battery fire prompts warning from San Jose Fire Dept.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- A small fire sparked by a rechargeable e-bike battery in a West San Jose apartment has prompted officials to warn the public about the dangers of lithium battery fires, after a man died while trying to put out the blaze.
The fire occurred Friday morning at an apartment in the Park Kiely complex on Norwalk Drive.
San Jose fire officials said the fire was limited in size but turned deadly, likely because of the toxic smoke produced by the lithium battery.
"They do so with very little to no warning," SJPD Battalion Chief Jeff Fielding said. The fire spreads very rapidly and produces a very large amount of toxic smoke that spreads very quickly."
RELATED: Person killed in San Jose apartment fire sparked by e-bike battery, firefighters say
Fielding said crews arrived Friday morning to find that a woman had safely evacuated the apartment, while a man was receiving CPR from a neighbor after attempting to extinguish the fire.
Fielding said the man later died, likely from toxic smoke inhalation.
"There's a lot of toxic chemicals in them, a lot of heavy metals," Fielding said. "There's a lot of different chemicals in that smoke that is very, very much different than traditional structure fire smoke."
E-bikes and e-scooters have become increasingly popular forms of transportation, but San Jose fire officials say many residents are not aware of the risks posed by the lithium batteries that power them.
RELATED: Spike in lithium-ion battery fires in San Francisco in recent years: Here's what to know
According to Fielding, lithium battery fires can be difficult to control, even for trained firefighters, and the issue is becoming more common.
If a lithium battery fire starts inside a home, he said residents should not attempt to put it out themselves.
"Your life is not worth any property," Fielding said. "So close that living space, shut all the doors, get out and call 911. That is the best advice."
RELATED: San Francisco to set new rules for e-bikes, scooters powered by lithium-ion batteries
San Francisco has regulations that prevent residents in multi-unit buildings from having more than 4 lithium-powered mobility devices per household.
While San Jose does not have these rules, Fielding says not to charge batteries unattended or while damaged and make sure to charge them outside the living space in order to prevent fires and tragedies like this.
