A fire that started in an Indian showroom with battery-powered electric scooters killed at least eight people and injured another 11, reported Reuters news agency, quoting local police. It is the deadliest such incident in the country involving electric vehicles (EVs).
A series of e-scooter fires this year has alarmed the government. Investigation reports identified faulty battery cells and modules as among main causes.
The Indian government is keen to promote scooters to combat pollution.
The latest fire broke out late on Monday in a hotel basement containing the showroom in the southern city of Secunderabad, police said. Two dozen e-scooters were involved.
Most of the dead were guests of the hotel, which was filled with smoke, the report stated.
“There were electric scooters parked where the fire started,” city police official Chandana Deepti told Reuters.
“We don’t know if it started because of overcharging and then spread or whether it started elsewhere. That is still being established,” he said.
The identity of the dealer and the make of scooters being sold was not immediately clear.
In March, India launched an investigation over safety concerns after a series of e-scooter fires, including one in which a man and his daughter died when their e-bike went up in flames.
Indian electric scooter maker Okinawa Autotech launched a recall in April after concerns the lithium-ion batteries in their Praise Pro scooters caused the fatal fire. The recall affected around 3,215 batteries.
India wants e-scooters and e-bikes to make up 80% of total two-wheeler sales by 2030, from about 2% now.
Photo: Police officials stand amidst damaged scooters after a fire broke out at an electric scooter showroom in the southern city of Secunderabad, India. © REUTERS
