Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a fire at the Twin Towers apartment complex on Fidler Lane and Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring a little after 2pm last Friday afternoon, according to MCFRS Public Information Officers Pete Piringer and James Carpenter. The cause of the scooter fire is believed to be a malfunction/failure of the scooter battery.
Per last week’s report, crews arrived at the 17-story residential building to find a fire on the 14th floor. According to Piringer, one adult patient is being evaluated as a priority 1 trauma patient with serious injuries/burns. The person was injured when they attempted to move an electric scooter that caught on fire while it was charging in the living room of the home. After sustaining burns, the person exited the apartment and closed the door behind them. A total of three patients were evaluated, and occupants from two units have been displaced. Approximately $50K in damages incurred.
Now Montgomery County Fire officials are warning residents of the dangers that come with electric scooter and bikes, to help prevent any future fires:
- Only use and purchase products that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
- Always follow manufacturer’s instructions
- Avoid over-charging batteries
- Don’t leave e-bikes/e-scooters charging overnight
- Only use the charging cord that came with the device. Don’t use off-brand products.
- Keep batteries and devises at room temperature. Do not place in direct sunlight.
- Store batteries away from anything that can catch fire.
‘After-the-Fire’ (10/28) on Fidler Lane, in Silver Spring … @mcfrs hit the road @MontgomeryCoMD County-Wide talking about safety & e-bikes/e-scooters https://t.co/3ufYEJIUc9 pic.twitter.com/0jL2coReYF
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) November 2, 2022
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