A Cobourg woman said she could have lost her home after a e-bike battery caught fire and exploded shortly after it was removed from her basement.
With e-bike’s becoming more popular, Kim Gelineau’s husband purchased one for within the last year at a cost of approximately $5,000.
During that time she said he’s thoroughly enjoyed it.
On Sunday afternoon, her husband went into the basement to charge the batteries on the e-bike.
One was already in the charger and another one was beside it.
“He went to change it over, but it was hot.”
He brought the battery up and placed it outside in a tin can and within a minute of it being outside, smoke started coming from the battery, then fire, then it exploded sending debris around a four-metre area.
Gelineau was inside capturing the drama on her cell phone camera.
“There was lots and lots of smoke for a bit, then dark smoke, then flames, then poof.”
“If he hadn’t of gone down (stairs) we would have lost the house for sure.”
Members of the Cobourg Fire Department attended to home just to make sure everything was safe inside and outside the home.
Gelineau emphasized the battery that caught fire and exploded was not even being charged at the time.
An hour after the incident Gelineau said she is extremely thankful her husband went downstairs when he did.
‘It’s very scary. It’s kind of sinking in now that we could have been home during the night and it would have gone (caught fire) and we probably wouldn’t have heard it – until it got really going.”
“I like the idea of the battery bikes and we’ll probably get another one, but we’ll keep the battery outside in a special container.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
