By Tiffany Williams –
An electric scooter battery blew up inside a Ludlow home, sparking a two-alarm inferno that ripped through the place and left the family homeless, officials said.
The blast tore through the house at 56 Haviland Street around 3:53 p.m. Tuesday, with flames shooting from multiple windows of the single-story home, according to Ludlow Fire Chief Ryan Pease and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine.
Everyone inside made it out alive, but the home is trashed by fire and smoke damage.
Crews knocked down the blaze in about 15 minutes after mutual aid and off-duty firefighters were called in.
Investigators said the fire started in the kitchen when the scooter’s lithium-ion battery pack exploded. The battery had been failing to charge, and an aftermarket charger bought online had been plugged in.
“This defendant fired multiple shots from a handgun on a busy street in the middle of the day,” Pease said. “One of those bullets shattered the window of a passing bus and seriously wounded a passenger in the shoulder. Today, the defendant is held accountable for his callous actions. Hopefully, this sentencing will bring some comfort to the victims.”
State Fire Marshal Davine warned the public about cutting corners with chargers. “Always use the manufacturer’s recommended equipment when charging lithium-ion batteries,” he said. “Aftermarket accessories may not be compatible with the battery and have been associated with a rising number of fires. If the battery won’t take a charge, dispose of it safely.”
Officials said the timing is grimly fitting: lithium-ion battery safety is the focus of this year’s Fire Prevention Week, running October 5 through 11. Fire leaders are urging residents to buy only certified products, charge devices with the equipment they came with, and recycle used batteries at safe drop-off sites instead of tossing them in the trash.