An e-bike battery exploded on the front porch of a Broad Street two-family home Monday evening, Oct. 26, sending flames and smoke into the air before Summit firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Neighbors across the street called 911 just after 6:30 p.m. after seeing the explosion and what appeared to be fire spreading toward the home, according to Patch, which first reported the incident. Firefighters found the e-bike on the porch and extinguished the fire, which was declared under control just after 7 p.m.
The fire caused minor damage to the porch. No other areas of the home were damaged, the fire department said.
Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad evaluated two residents for injuries. Both refused additional medical attention.
Union County Hazmat was called to dispose of the e-bike and its battery. Millburn and Springfield fire departments, Summit Police Department and Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad also responded through mutual aid.
The department recalled off-duty members to handle other calls during the incident and responded to two simultaneous emergencies. Union and New Providence fire departments provided station coverage for Summit through Union County Mutual Aid.
Summit Fire Chief Brian Harnois said the incident underscored the need for safe battery habits as Fire Prevention Month wraps up.
"Thankfully, our crews arrived in time to get the fire under control before it could spread to the rest of the home," Harnois said, according to Patch.
Harnois urged residents to use manufacturer-approved chargers and batteries and to dispose of old devices at the electronics recycling shelf on the upper level of the city's Transfer Station.
The Oct. 26 fire is the latest in a series of lithium battery incidents in Summit. In coverage published in July, TAPinto reported that two incidents days apart prompted City Administrator Tammie Baldwin to warn the Common Council about the growing risk. In one case, Transfer Station workers found a hoverboard with a lithium battery in the trash pit before it could be crushed. In the other, an e-bike that had been charging overnight inside a home began smoking and sparking.
The Summit Fire Department's Fire Prevention Week campaign in early October focused on the theme "Safe Charging is a Superpower," with tips from the National Fire Protection Association. Among them: charge e-bikes and scooters outside when possible, unplug devices when fully charged and stop using any device that feels hot, swells or smells strange.
The cause of the Oct. 26 battery ignition has not been publicly identified.
