Thermal Runaway in Modified E-bike Battery Claims 15 Lives

Thermal Runaway Caused Tragedy

A tragic fire broke out in Nanjing's Mingshangxiyuan community on February 23rd, claiming 15 lives and injuring 44 others. An investigation report released by Jiangsu Fire and Rescue on Wednesday afternoon revealed the cause of the fire to be a thermal runaway in an illegally modified electric bicycle's oversized lithium-ion battery.

The investigation, led by the provincial government, concluded that the battery of the electric bicycle, which was parked in a building's open-air space, overheated and eventually caught fire. The flames quickly spread to nearby bicycles and flammable materials stored illegally in the courtyard. The toxic smoke and intense heat penetrated into residential units, leading to the tragic loss of life.

The investigation further revealed that the bike owner had illegally modified the vehicle and purchased an oversized battery from unregulated online sources. The manufacturer and retailer of the electric bicycle were found to have violated national safety standards.

Contributing factors to the severity of the fire included poor maintenance of firefighting equipment and the property management company's failure to quickly detect the fire, evacuate residents, or take effective emergency measures.

As a result of the investigation, 10 individuals, including the bike owner, unlicensed battery sellers, and the property management company's executives, have been subjected to criminal coercive measures by the public security authorities. Additionally, seven enterprises involved in electric bicycle production, sales, and property management face penalties from regulatory authorities.