In the early hours of Thursday morning, a fire erupted in a Santiago de Cuba residence due to an electric scooter explosion, forcing two residents to leap from the second floor to save their lives. Despite escaping unharmed, they lost all their possessions in the blaze.
The incident occurred around 2:35 a.m. in a home located on Tramayo Street between Trocha and Gasómetro, in the Los Cangrejitos neighborhood. An electric scooter's battery exploded, leading to a rapid spread of flames throughout the house, as reported by Aris Arias Batalla, vice president of the Volunteer Firefighters Association in Santiago de Cuba, via a Facebook update.
Trapped inside, the residents had no other choice but to escape through the second-floor window. "They opened the gate, broke the glass door, and jumped onto the street," Arias detailed in his report. One individual sustained injuries from the shattered glass and was taken to the Dr. Joaquín Castillo Duany Military Hospital, where medical staff treated a leg wound.
Arias noted that the residents lost everything in the fire. He explained, "When the battery explodes, the lithium expands rapidly, creating a fierce blaze that can consume everything in its path within minutes." In his post, Arias shared photos illustrating the extensive damage caused by the fire.
He urged the public to "stay vigilant, be prepared, and remove potential fire hazards," warning that electric scooters are "ticking time bombs," particularly when owners tamper with the electrical system or ignore proper charging protocols.
"Beware of electric scooters!" he cautioned, emphasizing that "lithium batteries are highly volatile." He also mentioned that four hours later, firefighters extinguished another blaze at a paint tank storage facility, preventing its spread to nearby warehouses holding valuable state resources. The exact location of this second incident was not disclosed.
Both fires were successfully extinguished by members of the Command 1 (Martí) unit of Santiago de Cuba's Fire Department. Arias highlighted the growing concern over lithium battery explosions in scooters, which have often resulted in tragic outcomes in Cuba.
In a tragic incident last January, a 13-year-old boy, his 16-year-old sister, and her 19-year-old boyfriend perished in a fire caused by a scooter battery explosion while they slept in their home in Regla, Havana. The increasing frequency of such fires has alarmed both residents and authorities, who blame these incidents on improper usage and a scarcity of spare parts.
Understanding the Risks of Electric Scooters in Cuba
What caused the fire in Santiago de Cuba?
The fire was triggered by an explosion of an electric scooter's lithium battery.
How did the residents escape the fire?
The residents escaped by breaking a glass door on the second floor and jumping to the street below.
Why are electric scooters considered dangerous?
Electric scooters are considered dangerous because their lithium batteries are volatile and can explode, especially if improperly handled.