PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Investigators have determined that a garage fire sparked Tuesday evening in Bend was accidentally caused by an E-bike charger, according to Bend Fire & Rescue.
Just before 6:30 p.m., a neighbor called 911 after hearing a smoke alarm but didn’t report seeing any smoke or flames, officials said.
On the scene, fire crews reported seeing smoke from the back of the Delaware Avenue structure along with water running out from underneath the garage door onto the street.
Crews upgraded the fire to a full alarm and were able to get into the smoke-filled garage to extinguish the seat of the fire and found the heavily damaged E-bike with its battery pack completely destroyed.
Bend Fire & Rescue noted the battery charger wiring was completely burned away, which they say indicates an electrical failure.
The blaze also extended to a nearby water heater, which crews say led to the water streaming out of the garage.
The resident told fire crews he plugged in his E-bike and left the house two hours before the fire broke out.
“The smoke alarm and the alert neighbor were the heroes in this scenario,” Chief Bolen said. “Had the smoke alarm not sounded, this fire would have continued to grow and spread from the garage into the living space above, likely destroying the entire home.”
Bend Fire & Rescue advises residents to not leave charging E-bikes unattended or on the charger overnight. Officials also remind residents to store E-bike batteries in a fire-resistant cabinet when not in use.