An electric scooter caught fire on the first floor of a three-story house in Guangzhou around 5:33 AM on 10/10. The homeowner tried to push the burning vehicle outside, but intense flames and explosions forced him back inside. Thick black smoke and fierce flames quickly engulfed the area, trapping three people on the rooftop.
Fortunately, those inside managed to alert the police. Emergency services promptly arrived, pulled the electric scooter out, and safely evacuated all trapped individuals.
The fire, which started in the first-floor living room, was caused by the electric scooter exploding while charging. The incident resulted in direct economic damage of approximately 60,000 Chinese yuan (about 9,000 USD), but thankfully, there were no casualties. The scooter owner, Mr. Ha, has since been placed under administrative detention by police for illegally charging an electric vehicle indoors, which led to the fire.
This incident is not an isolated case. Earlier, on 7/10, Guangzhou recorded two similar incidents in rental properties, both caused by electric bicycle batteries being brought indoors for charging.
In the first incident on 7/10, a man returned home at 0:30 AM and brought his electric bicycle battery into his room to charge. About one hour later, the battery began to overheat and emit thick smoke. The owner quickly doused it with water to cool it down, then moved the battery to an empty lot. He received a 10-day administrative detention for creating a hazard by charging the battery indoors.
Just a few hours later, a similar event occurred. At 6:07 AM on the same day, an electric bicycle battery, placed for charging in a living room by a tenant, suddenly caught fire.
A smart smoke detector inside the home promptly detected the smoke and sent alerts to the landlord and the neighborhood patrol. Residents in the vicinity were immediately evacuated.
The electric vehicle battery fire on 7/10.
The self-governing fire department and joint forces arrived within minutes, completely extinguishing the flames in just three minutes. Mr. Ngo, the tenant involved, also received a 10-day administrative detention sentence.
"Many residents remain complacent, believing that if a fire occurs while charging batteries at home, it only results in personal property damage and no legal liability. This is a completely wrong perception," emphasized a representative from the fire prevention and fighting (PCCC) inspection agency.
According to the detailed administrative penalty regulations for PCCC in Guangdong province, effective since September, households are exempt from penalties only when a common fire causes internal property damage without spreading. Conversely, for actions such as parking or bringing electric vehicle batteries indoors for charging in violation of regulations, which then cause a fire, the offender will be dealt with severely and is not eligible for penalty exemption, regardless of whether the fire spreads or remains contained within the home.
Authorities advise residents against bringing electric bicycles and their batteries indoors for storage or charging. Every household should equip itself with fire extinguishers and automatic smoke detectors to enhance self-fire prevention and fighting capabilities. Landlords of rental properties must increase inspections and remind tenants to comply with safety regulations, combining smart monitoring technology with legal compliance to ensure overall safety.
My Anh (via Sohu)
