Electric scooter battery explodes in Hyderabad while getting charged at home, one killed

Yet another EV fire incident took place where an 80-year old man died while three of his family members suffered burn injuries when the battery of an electric scooter plugged in for charging exploded at their house in Nizamabad district, police said.

As per reports, the e-scooter belonged to Pure EV and this is the third incident where a Pure EV fire has claimed life. So far one Ola, two Okinawa, three Pure EV and 20 Jitendra EV scooters have caught fire.

The incident took place on April 20, when the detachable battery of the electric two-wheeler kept on charge in a room burst into triggering flames resulting in burn injuries to three people who were reportedly sleeping. While another family member was injured trying to douse the flames, they said.

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The octogenarian and those injured were admitted to a hospital in Nizamabad town, but after the elderly man's condition became critical he was referred to a hospital in Hyderabad, but he succumbed to the injuries on the way, police said.

Based on a complaint by the son of the deceased, a case under Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life) of the IPC was registered against the electric vehicle company, a police official added. 

NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant requested the EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to voluntarily recall batches linked to EV fires on April 13. Further, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, stated in the Lok Sabha that the EV fire events may have occurred due to increased temperatures.

(With inputs from agencies)

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