San Rafael firefighters extinguish burning e-bike

An electric bicycle’s battery caught fire at an apartment in San Rafael, the fire department said.

The incident happened at about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday at 1825 Lincoln Ave., according to Deputy Chief Robert Sinnott. The tenant moved the bike outside, and firefighters extinguished the flames.

Sinnott said a battery apparently sparked the fire, either by overcharging or a malfunction. No injuries or structure damages were reported.

Sinnott said fires caused by lithium batteries are becoming more common and that charging batteries can catch fire if they are damaged or improperly used or stored. He advised the public to remove lithium batteries from a charger after they are fully charged.