Flammable Battery

[Anchor Lead]

Electric bicycles and motorized kick boards are growing more and more popular for commuting and recreation. Riders should be aware that these devices have been known to burst into flames while being operated or recharged.

[Pkg]

Some colleges students are rushing out of their dorms in the middle of night. The corridors are thick with smoke. It's coming from an electric kickboard that burst into flames while recharging. There's been cases of the product catching fire while being charged indoors, at home. As more people use such devices, electric transporter fires, which numbered only two cases three years ago, spiked eight times last year. Leading the number of cases of such devices is electric bicycles, followed by kickboards and scooters. They are powered by lithium batteries. So, why are they catching fire? When the voltage was increased over the recommended level, the battery case began to expand and then soon exploded. The same thing happens to the battery upon impact. The fire erupts when the membrane separating the positive and negative ends inside the battery is damaged.

[Soundbite] Jeong Hyeon-cheol(Dongjak Fire Station) : "An electric kickboard should be recharged outdoors and you should not leave it to charge then go to bed."

Flammable materials must be kept away from recharging stations and riders should refrain from using these items in areas of high temperatures. Also, users must replace their batteries if they detect unusual signs, like warping or strange smells.