Electric Motorbike Catches Fire in Chon Buri, Triggering Police Investigation

[snoop1130]

 

An electric motorbike unexpectedly burst into flames in the Ban Suan area of the Chon Buri province. The rider was forced to leave his bike, and firefighters were summoned to put out the fire. The police are now looking into the cause of the fire.

 

The incident happened on Sukprayoon Road which leads into Chon Buri City. The rider had to get off his bike when it suddenly caught fire around 6.30 pm yesterday. Immediately, police and fire services were contacted.

 

The Chon Buri City Fire Department responded to the scene, finding the electric motorbike, with a Bangkok-issued license plate 6 ขฆ 6011, covered in flames. It took the firefighters more than 20 minutes to control the situation, leaving behind nothing but a burnt metal frame of the motorbike.

 

Teerapat Chopyon, a 21-year-old and the owner of the motorbike, described the frightening incident. He was just riding his bike when he felt heat coming from the left side. Upon inspection, he noticed the fire near the left wheel. He promptly pulled over and reached out to the firefighters and the police.

 

 

In his words, “I was riding as usual when suddenly I noticed the heat. The left wheel was on fire, so I immediately pulled over and reached out for help."

 

The local police coordinated with the fire department to handle the situation when they received the call. The fire was so strong that it required a lot of effort to get it under control.

 

Now the police are looking into what caused the fire. Forensic experts have been brought in to investigate the remains of the motorbike. The investigation will determine if the fire was due to a technical glitch, a battery problem, or any other reason, which will help determine any legal action needed.

 

The police stated “We have to determine what caused the fire. It's critical to find out if it was due to a technical issue or something else."

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-07-26

 

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[rwill]

The left wheel?  Was he riding sideways?

[watchcat]

7 minutes ago, rwill said:

The left wheel?  Was he riding sideways?

 

Ha! I think it was one of those three wheel bikes,

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The police are now looking into the cause of the fire.

They can rule out fuel?

[mikebell]

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

They can rule out fuel?

Not with a Thai driver; he probably topped up with 91 just to be on the safe side.

[Gandtee]

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Ha! I think it was one of those three wheel bikes,

So a tricycle.😉

[Liverpool Lou]

13 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

2 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

Ha! I think it was one of those three wheel bikes,

So a tricycle.

Only a tricycle if you think that the two-wheeled version of the bike in the OP was a bicycle.

[gargamon]

Do these things have lithium-whatever batteries that are flammable when exposed to moisture or gel batteries? It seems like it was probably lithium based.

[CharlieH]

Somewhat related, e-bike battery event.

 

 

[Burma Bill]

3 hours ago, gargamon said:

Do these things have lithium-whatever batteries that are flammable when exposed to moisture or gel batteries? It seems like it was probably lithium based.

 Thanks - my thought as well. A lithium battery, possibly Chinese.

These electric bikes (both 2 and 3 wheel) are very popular here in Siem Reap, in fact throughout Cambodia. Most are Chinese made with Chinese lithium batteries.  My landlord's wife has recently purchased one for 800 US$. 

Edited July 27 by Burma Bill
additional information

[PETERTHEEATER]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

.......he noticed the fire near the left wheel......

Was he riding side-saddle?

[digger70]

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Was he riding side-saddle?

Nah, just looking back over his Left shoulder .

[gargamon]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

 Thanks - my thought as well. A lithium battery, possibly Chinese.

These electric bikes (both 2 and 3 wheel) are very popular here in Siem Reap, in fact throughout Cambodia. Most are Chinese made with Chinese lithium batteries.  My landlord's wife has recently purchased one for 800 US$. 

I'm in the Philippines right now and we just got back from looking at some 3 and 4 wheel ebikes (nwow and kuda brands). Both had lead acid batteries(gel it looked like). Price for a reasonable 4 seater with offset steering wheel and room for 2 in the front seat was around $1500 USD or 52k thb.

Edited July 27 by gargamon

[nakhonandy]

This is a problem in London UK with e-bikes and scooters, several fires per week. Generally caused by cheap batteries and chargers.

However, usually when charging, not on the road.

My son has one, Chinese made, it is not allowed to be charged in our house, only outside. My wife and her family think I'm nuts, having seen this in London, I'm not.

When the batteries catch fire it's almost impossible to extinguish.

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Somewhat related, e-bike battery event.

Well I got some backlash recently when I suggested EVs were prone to fires that cannot be put out.... but there surely would be some cheap type of batteries with less stringent manufacturing being used somewhere. 

[KhunLA]

13 hours ago, nakhonandy said:

When the batteries catch fire it's almost impossible to extinguish.

Not impossible, but most people don't have what is necessary to easily extinguish a battery/EV fire.

 

EV enthusiast myself, but also use common sense.  Don't leave charging some batteries unattended, and or, charge outside.

Edited July 28 by KhunLA

[KhunLA]

16 hours ago, gargamon said:

I'm in the Philippines right now and we just got back from looking at some 3 and 4 wheel ebikes (nwow and kuda brands). Both had lead acid batteries(gel it looked like). Price for a reasonable 4 seater with offset steering wheel and room for 2 in the front seat was around $1500 USD or 52k thb.

Whoa ... for 50k baht mark, it should be a lithium battery.   Think you need to shop around a bit more.

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Not impossible, but most people don't have what is necessary to easily extinguish a battery/EV fire.

 

EV enthusiast myself, but also use common sense.  Don't leave charging some batteries unattended, and or, charge outside.

The video clip above  in the lift was especially scary..... the fact it could pretty much explode in there with the guy, or it could have happened in say the apartment while he was sleeping and it charged, well that could set fire to the whole building. 

[OneMoreFarang]

On 7/26/2024 at 6:00 PM, snoop1130 said:

Now the police are looking into what caused the fire. Forensic experts have been brought in to investigate the remains of the motorbike. The investigation will determine if the fire was due to a technical glitch, a battery problem, or any other reason, which will help determine any legal action needed.

Does it really matter why it started?

The problem is that once and electric battery fire started, it basically can't be extinguished. It burns and burns and burns.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

On 7/27/2024 at 2:05 PM, Burma Bill said:

Most are Chinese made with Chinese lithium batteries.

And is Chinese Lithium somehow worse than i.e. US Lithium?

Apple and Tesla and many many other companies have huge factories in China. Are all those products bad? 

 

The problem is that lithium batteries can't be easily extinguished once they are on fire. It doesn't matter where they come from. 

Edited July 29 by OneMoreFarang

[OneMoreFarang]

23 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Not impossible, but most people don't have what is necessary to easily extinguish a battery/EV fire.

Most fire fighting departments don't have what is necessary to extinguish those fires, especially with large objects.

 

 

 

[dddave]

On 7/27/2024 at 10:41 AM, gargamon said:

Do these things have lithium-whatever batteries that are flammable when exposed to moisture or gel batteries? It seems like it was probably lithium based.

Some use L-Ion but many of the smaller 3 wheelers still use lead-acid.

It makes sense it started in his wheel.  Many e-bikes have hub motors.

[KhunLA]

24 minutes ago, dddave said:

 

👍

Edited July 29 by KhunLA

[gargamon]

2 hours ago, dddave said:

Some use L-Ion but many of the smaller 3 wheelers still use lead-acid.

It makes sense it started in his wheel.  Many e-bikes have hub motors.

I've been looking at the 4 wheel ones, almost like a golf cart. They all have lead acid gel batteries. 50km limit, top speed 35 kph. No need for a car any more. Love it.

[nakhonandy]

Having done a bit of research it appears EV car batteries etc are highly regulated so even safer than ICE cars.

 

Bikes scooters etc are not so the risks are much higher.

[dddave]

1 hour ago, nakhonandy said:

 

Bikes scooters etc are not so the risks are much higher.

In 2023, New York City had 18 fatalities from fires caused by e-bikes.  Most of the fires were in apartment buildings where a resident had stored an ebike inside.  There was one case where a night time fire in an ebike shop located in an apartment building ground floor spread and killed four residents.

Edited July 29 by dddave

[nakhonandy]

3 hours ago, dddave said:

In 2023, New York City had 18 fatalities from fires caused by e-bikes.  Most of the fires were in apartment buildings where a resident had stored an ebike inside.  There was one case where a night time fire in an ebike shop located in an apartment building ground floor spread and killed four residents.

London had 149 fires with 3 deaths last year caused by either bikes or scooters.

All due to cheap imports, I wonder where from?

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, gargamon said:

I've been looking at the 4 wheel ones, almost like a golf cart. They all have lead acid gel batteries. 50km limit, top speed 35 kph. No need for a car any more. Love it.

Although I found my truck a useful option when I had to take my 65 inch TV to and from the repair centre lately. 

[gargamon]

58 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Although I found my truck a useful option when I had to take my 65 inch TV to and from the repair centre lately. 

Worth tying up tens of thousands of dollars for a very rare usage? For all the negative press on 15 minute cities, I'd love to live in one. Walk most places you need to go and drive your golf cart everywhere else.

[jacko45k]

48 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Worth tying up tens of thousands of dollars for a very rare usage? For all the negative press on 15 minute cities, I'd love to live in one. Walk most places you need to go and drive your golf cart everywhere else.

Do you actually believe in your wildest moment that is the only use I get out of it? I live well out of town and my Mrs likes odd trips back to the village... a truck or SUV almost obligatory for there. I have my moments where I long to live central though ....