The London Fire Brigade has released a video that shows how dangerous it can be when a faulty e-bike catches fire and explodes. The owner of the bike narrowly avoided injury in the scary incident, which turned the bike into a fireball. It was the second such incident in as many weeks and highlights the dangers posed by a faulty charging mechanism to the battery. The explosion took place at a flat in Roehampton on May 20 and was captured on CCTV.
The clip from the entrance to Avi Gooransingh's home in Tangley Grove shows the bike's battery erupt after going into thermal runaway - the rapid self-heating of a battery due to increase in temperature.
It produces a white and grey coloured highly flammable and toxic vapour cloud into the air before turning into a fireball a few seconds later.
The bike owner is seen standing close to the bike but remains unhurt. He is able to run back into the house as seen in the clip.
The firefighters quickly arrived on the scene and were able to put out the fire.
Though the exact cause of the fire is not known, Mr Gooransingh said he knew something was not right because of the smell.
"I arrived home and there was such a potent smell. I asked my sister if she was using nail polish remover but she replied no and said it was coming from my bike," he told London Fire Brigade.
"I smelt the bike and I immediately thought something might be wrong so I thought the safest thing to do would be to get the bike out of the flat," he further said, as per the remarks published on the department's website.
Mr Gooransingh said he panicked when the bike exploded. "I thought my family was going to die, especially if I hadn't moved it. My sister and I ran back into the flat and called 999."
The fire brigade said it has been called to 52 e-bike and 12 e-scooter fires so far this year. One of the incidents proved to be fatal on New Year's Day.
Featured Video Of The Day
Amid Bangladesh Turmoil Fallout, Hilsa Prices Soar
Ola Electric Bike to Launch in India on August 15: Everything We Know so Far E-Bike Battery Fire Leaves British Family Homeless, House Destroyed E-Bike Battery Explodes In Surat Home, Horrifying Video Goes Viral Trump, Musk Groove To Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive' In AI-Video Now Viral 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court "Want To Ask Congress...": Mamata Banerjee Snaps At Ally In Rape-Murder Case US Judge Says "Monopolist" Google Can't Avoid App Store Reforms NASA To Decide Stranded Starliner Astronauts' Route Home By End Of Month Mob Vandalises Hospital During Protest Over Kolkata Horror Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.