Battery of brand-new electric scooter explodes in Andhra Pradesh; kills 40-year-old owner

Another instance of EV fire occurred in Andhra Pradesh, when the battery of an electric two-wheeler detonated in a house, killing one person and injuring three others. The event occurred early Saturday in Vijayawada, when the detachable battery of the vehicle was kept on charging in his bedroom and it suddenly exploded in the early hours when all were fast asleep.

The explosion caused a minor fire in the house gutting the air-conditioning machine and some household articles. Neighbours who saw smoke billowing out of the house broke the doors open and pulled out the family trapped inside. K Siva Kumar, his wife and their two children sustained burn injuries.

Siva Kumar succumbed to death while being shifted to the hospital, while his wife suffered burns and was in a critical condition, police said. Their two children also suffered from asphyxiation but were stable, the police added.

Kumar had reportedly purchased the electric scooter on Friday (April 22). Reports say this time the electric scooter battery belonged to Boom Motors' Corbett 14. "The exact cause of the explosion is not known. Fire services personnel also visited the scene to determine the cause. We have also spoken to the EV company to check whether electric short circuit could be the reason for the battery explosion," the Inspector said. A case has been registered and investigation taken up.

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This is the second incident in the Telugu states in less than a week. An 80-year-old man was killed, and two others were injured in Telangana's Nizamabad district on April 22 when the battery of an electric two-wheeler exploded. The incident occurred in a house where the battery was being charged.

B. Ramaswamy died in the incident, while his son B. Prakash and daughter Kamalamma suffered burn injuries when they tried to rescue him. They were admitted to a hospital. Police registered a case under Indian Penal Code Section 304A (causing death due to negligence) against Pure EV and took up an investigation.

Pure EV issued a statement deeply regretting the incident and stating that it is cooperating with local authorities and seeking details from the user. A series of such incidents in the country has created concern over the safety of batteries. Three Pure EV scooters and electric vehicles of some other manufacturers caught fire in separate incidents in recent months.

(With inputs from agencies)

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