Electric scooter sparked fire that scorched Miami Beach apartment, fire official says
MIAMI BEACH - Miami Beach Fire said a fire early Wednesday morning in an apartment building was caused by an electric scooter plugged into the wall.
The fire department said it received word of the apartment fire in a building at 5255 Collins Avenue just before 5 a.m.
Arriving fire crews found flames and smoke coming from a unit on the fourth floor. Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the one apartment.
One person who was inside the unit was checked out by paramedics but not transported to a hospital.
The rechargeable batteries that power common items like e-bikes, scooters and electric cars can pose a dangerous new threat to firefighters.
Fires caused by rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, have been increasing steadily in large cities like New York and San Francisco. Since at least 2019, fire departments in the two cities say they've responded to at least 669 incidents combined.