China warns of electric bicycle fires as fatalities rise

[Anchor]

In China, the number of people riding electric bicycles has recently increased, leading to a rise in related fires.

With many fatalities occurring, warnings against parking electric bicycles inside buildings are being posted everywhere.

Kim Min-jung reports from Beijing.

[Report]

An electric bicycle suddenly catches fire while being ridden in the middle of the road.

In an instant, it is engulfed in flames, and the rider barely rolls out on the ground to escape.

[Witness: "The flames were so strong that I couldn't put it out. I reported it and threw water on the rider."]

An electric bicycle, which was emitting white smoke, eventually explodes.

There were as many as five explosion sounds within 14 seconds.

The 350 million electric bicycles in China mostly use lithium batteries.

According to experiments conducted by Chinese fire authorities, the entire bicycle was engulfed in flames just two minutes after the fire started, and it was completely burned down, leaving only the frame after ten minutes.

Water-based fire extinguishers, which form a film to block oxygen, were found to be more effective in extinguishing fires than regular powder extinguishers.

Chinese state media reported these experimental results, urging caution due to the significant concerns over electric bicycle fires.

[Chinese CCTV report: "As the water-based agent is activated, only half of the lithium battery has burned, and only one side of the plastic battery box has melted."]

In fact, as of the end of May this year, the number of electric bicycle fires in China has already exceeded 10,000.

The death toll has reached 35.

In China, warnings against parking electric bicycles inside buildings are commonly seen, but due to poor management, electric bicycle fires are increasing by nearly 20% each year.

This is Kim Min-jung from KBS News in Beijing.