A dozen people were displaced due to a fire likely caused by a charging e-scooter in Derwood on Thursday, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.
Fire and rescue personnel responded to a townhouse fire at 7700 Hiawatha Lane around 8 a.m., Piringer shared on Twitter.
Piringer says that the fire was likely caused by an e-scooter charging in the basement that ignited combustibles, but added that discarded smoking materials cannot be ruled out, so the cause is undetermined but still accidental.
Occupants were alerted by a smoke alarm and there were no injuries.
Twelve people were displaced in total, according to Piringer, including two adults and five kids from the townhouse of origin and five adults from the townhouse next door.
Damage is estimated around $650,000.
In April of last year, Piringer reported that a fire in Bethesda was caused by a scooter lithium ion battery that overheated during charging.
He has shared safety tips for e-scooters, e-bikes and lithium ion batteries.
Feature photos via MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.
Update – Origin/Cause AMENDED – likely e-scooter charging, however, @mcfrs indicate ‘discarded smoking materials’ cannot be ruled out, thus undetermined, nonetheless the cause is accidental in nature, https://t.co/tACibk7OIG pic.twitter.com/FstlFfVTE4
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) April 13, 2023
