Jeonnam Fire Department Urges Caution Against Overcharging Electric Kickboards

5 out of 6 related fires in the past 5 years caused by 'overcharging'

Electric scooter fire scene. Photo by Jeonnam Fire Headquarters

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Fire Department recently urged caution to prevent batteries from being overcharged in relation to electric scooters, which have been involved in a series of recent fires.

According to the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters on the 8th, an analysis of fires caused during the charging process of electric scooters from 2016 to the present confirmed that out of a total of six fires, five were caused by overcharging.

The high-rise apartment fire in Gwangyang last September also occurred during the charging of an electric scooter, and the cause of the multi-family house fire on the 3rd, where three family members evacuated, was found to be due to charging an electric bicycle.

Nationwide, from January 2016 to September 2019, a total of 17 fires resulted in two deaths and property damage amounting to approximately 32 million won.

Ma Jaeyoon, head of the Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, said, “Fires are occurring not only in electric scooters but also in devices using lithium-ion batteries, so it is important to carefully check precautions during charging,” adding, “To prevent overcharging, charging only up to 80% or supplementing protective devices such as short-circuit protection devices and fuses helps prevent accidents.”

He continued, “As the use of personal mobility devices rapidly increases, related fires are also occurring one after another,” and urged, “Jeonnam Fire Department will do its best to prevent related fires, so users should also be careful.”

Meanwhile, as electric scooters have recently gained popularity as personal mobility devices, the number of users riding electric scooters around urban areas, amusement parks, parks, and university campuses has greatly increased, making device management necessary.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.