Description: Somers Fire was dispatched to a reported structure fire shortly before 9pm on Monday, July 8th, 2024. Additional information from the 60-Control dispatcher relayed the caller was reporting a “scooter on fire in the garage.” Car 2443 (Assistant Chief Meeker) arrived on scene within minutes to find a scooter on fire in the garage. The residence was evacuated, and the scooter was removed to the driveway, away from the residence. Upon the arrival of Engine 188, one line was stretched to the e-bike in the driveway and members began cooling the lithium-ion batteries. Simultaneously, the crew from Ladder 48 checked the interior of the residence for fire extension. There was a moderate smoke condition on the first floor and a light smoke condition on the second floor. The residence was ventilated of smoke and metered using gas detectors. As the fire involved highly volatile lithium-ion batteries, the Westchester County DES Hazardous Materials Team was requested to the scene to assist. Prior to the arrival of the Haz-Mat team the scooter was investigated and secured by a SVFD Hazardous Materials Technician. Upon the arrival of the Haz-Mat team the scooter and lithium-ion batteries were examined further to ensure they were cooling and safe. Members of the Haz-Mat team packaged the scooter/batteries in Cellblock and placed it inside a metal drum for safe transportation to the hazardous waste dump.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but based on by-stander reports and investigations by both the Westchester County Cause & Origin Team and Hazardous Material Team members a preliminary cause was determined. It is believed that the charger for the E-Scooter overheated, this heating caused the lithium-ion battery packs inside the scooter to heat up and start off-gassing. Lithium-Ion batteries off-gas very dangerous smoke/fumes containing many different toxic and flammable chemicals including hydrogen. It is believed that the off-gassing hydrogen filled the garage and when the gas mixture in the atmosphere reached the lower explosive limit and found an ignition source it flashed in the garage. The force of this flash fire created a percussion effect that broke glass windows and blew the garage doors off their tracks and a small fire. Somers EMS was requested to the scene to evaluate a resident who was exposed to the extremely toxic smoke in the garage from the lithium-ion battery fire. Somers VFD and the Haz-Mat Team operated for approximately two and a half hours before returning to service.
