Latest news with #JasonRipley
CBC
23-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Valley firefighters urge caution after charging e-bike leads to house fire
An Annapolis Valley fire department is urging the public to leave firefighting to the professionals after an electric bike caught fire in a White Rock, N.S., basement and two people suffered smoke inhalation trying to remove the bike and get the fire under control themselves. "Our advice during a fire is to get out immediately, call 911 and stay out," Greenwich Fire Department Chief Jason Ripley said in a release Sunday night. According to the release, fire crews responded to the incident on Deep Hollow Road in the community near New Minas at around 5 p.m. Sunday. The fire department said an unattended e-bike was charging in the basement when one of the occupants of the home heard the battery exploding and rushed downstairs to drag the bike out of the building. The occupants told the Greenwich department they initially had difficulty calling for help because of poor cellphone reception in the area. When crews finally arrived, the fire that had spread into the basement ceiling had already been mostly extinguished, but a man and woman had to be transported to hospital after inhaling smoke while trying to put it out. "While the actions of the homeowners no doubt prevented further damage, firefighters do not recommend attempting to remove burning items from their homes," the release said. The department said people who have devices like electric bikes and scooters with lithium-ion batteries should be present when they're plugged in and charge them outside the home and away from combustible materials. Fire damage was limited to the basement, but the remainder of the home sustained smoke damage, the release said.
CTV News
23-06-2025
- CTV News
Two sent to hospital after charging e-bike causes house fire in White Rock, N.S.
A photo shows the e-bike that was charging when the fire started. (Courtesy: Greenwich Fire Department) The Greenwich Fire Department says two people were sent to hospital following a house fire caused by a charging e-bike. The fire department says it responded to the house fire on Deep Hollow Road in White Rock, N.S., shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday. Upon arrival, fire crews found the homeowners had extinguished most of the fire. However, two of the three occupants of the home were sent to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation. According to a news release Sunday, the fire department says an e-bike being charged in the basement went into 'thermal runaway,' causing a fire that spread into the ceiling. One of the occupants of the home heard the bike battery exploding and went to the basement, where they located and removed the burning e-bike from the home. Firefighters were on scene for about 90 minutes to ensure the fire was fully extinguished. An adult male and female were both taken to the Valley Regional Hospital for further assessment. Firefighters say fire damage to the home was contained to just the basement, but there is smoke damage in the remainder of the home. 'Get out immediately' The fire department says, while the homeowner's actions prevented further damage, they do not recommend attempting to remove burning items from homes. 'Our advice during a fire is to get out immediately, call 911 and stay out,' said Greenwich Fire Chief Jason Ripley. The fire department says the people inside the home indicated their efforts to report the incident to emergency services were initially hampered by poor cellphone reception in the area. The fire department adds fires involving lithium-ion batteries like the ones used in e-bikes and scooters are becoming much more common, and is advising residents not to charge their bikes inside their homes. 'Folks with these devices should always ensure they are charged away from combustible materials and should ensure they are present during charging,' said Ripley. Fire investigators are listing the cause of the fire as accidental following consultation with the Nova Scotia Office of the Fire Marshal. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
