EVs On Fire: Battery-Operated Scooter Turns To Ashes In Odisha’s Keonjhar

Bhubaneswar: In another case of electric two-wheelers catching fire, a scooter turned to ashes in Keonjhar district.

According to sources, Raja Prusty of Bankapatuli village under Dhenkikote police limits put his battery-operated scooter on charge in outer verandah of his house on Friday. After some time, his family members heard an explosion and rushed out to find that the scooter had caught fire.

After being informed about the fire by family members over phone, Raja rushed back home. But, by the time he arrived,  the fire had engulfed the two-wheeler and he called the Fire personnel.

Though they successfully prevented the fire from spreading inside the house and doused it, the two-wheeler had turned to ashes with only chasis standing at the place.

It may be noted that several incidents of electric vehicles (EVs) catching fire have been reported from different parts of the country recently. In one such case last month, an 80-year-old man was killed and two others were injured when the battery of a Pure EV electric two-wheeler exploded in their house in Nizamabad district Telangana.

As the EV makers came under scanner for such incidents, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told the companies to recall defective batches of vehicles. He also said an expert committee had been formed to inquire into these incidents and make recommendations on remedial steps.