LOWELL, MASS. (WHDH) - An electric scooter caught fire while charging in a dorm at UMass Lowell Wednesday morning, causing students in the building to evacuate.
Lowell’s fire chief said the fire broke out on the first floor of the River Hawk Village dormitory, with smoke rising through all five floors. Students had to leave the building for more than an hour as crews responded.
“The smoke is going through the vents and we’re all getting smoked out,” said Brian Bui-Tran, a senior at UMass Lowell.
A photo shows the burned outlet and scorched wall.
“When we got into the hallway, we had to duck down under the smoke,” said sophomore Will McTygue. “It was very strong smelling.”
Authorities said the lithium-ion battery in the scooter sparked the blaze. Lowell firefighters were able to remove the scooter, which was brand new, from the dorm.
Sophomore Shane Exilhomme also uses an electric scooter to get around campus, and 7News cameras found many other students doing the same.
“Most people will plug it up overnight, kind of like a phone, just charge it up overnight. Wake up, it’s fully charged. You just take it up and go,” Exilhomme said.
In a statement, university officials said that safety is their top priority.
“We are actively reviewing safety requirements related to the use and storage of electric scooters and other lithium battery devices,” UMass Lowell said, in part.
The State Fire Marshal’s office provided videos showing lithium-ion batteries exploding. The batteries are used in many devices, and authorities said they can blow up if they are damaged, overheated, or overcharged.
“I’m still going to ride my scooter because it’s freezing out and it’s a quicker way to get there. But, I’ll probably be more cautious, don’t leave it charging,” said freshman Jake Lefrancois.
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