House fire in Cardiff leaves seven hospitalized, according to the fire service, incident instigated by an e-scooter.
"Well then, y'know what's been making headlines in Cardiff?"
In the early hours of Tuesday, a house fire broke out, landing seven residents in the hospital. You guessed it—an e-scooter was to blame. According to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, a lithium-ion battery-powered scooter, stored at the property, sparked the blaze.
Firefighters from Ely, Cardiff Central, Whitchurch, Barry, and Penarth responded to the incident at a two-storey semi-detached property in Caerau. To make matters worse, six emergency ambulances, an operations manager, and the hazard area response team were summoned.
Thankfully, there was no evidence of the fire spreading to nearby properties. As for the victims, one was airlifted, and six others were transported by road for further treatment at the hospital.
It's worth noting that these types of e-scooter fires are no laughing matter. Lithium-ion batteries can overheat and reach temperatures up to an explosive 1,000°C. This overheating can release toxic gases and ignite nearby materials, creating a self-sustaining reaction that's tough to extinguish with standard methods. Most of these incidents involve poorly maintained or counterfeit products.
To avoid such calamities, it's crucial to use certified equipment, avoid DIY repairs, and keep devices charged and stored safely. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a scorching situation. So, keep your e-scooters (and yours truly) in check!
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The house fire in Caerau, Cardiff, at 45am on Tuesday was confirmed to be caused by a lithium-ion battery-powered e-scooter stored at the property. Ahead of the general-news about the incident, seven residents were taken to the hospital, with one being airlifted and six transported by road. Due to the nature of these types of e-scooter fires, ambulances and several emergency services were required at the scene.
