E-bike fire sends residents to hospital, Toronto Fire Chief warns of growing battery danger

Toronto Fire Services responded Monday morning to an e-bike fire in a high-rise building on Lawrence Avenue East that sent three residents to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, prompting Fire Chief Jim Jessop to sound an alarm about lithium-ion battery dangers that crews are encountering "far too frequently."

In a video shared on social media Monday, Jessop showed an e-bike erupting into flames outside a residential building, its battery pack violently exploding and scattering burning cells across a driveway like projectiles. The fire produced toxic smoke and extreme heat.

Jessop identified three specific hazards: flying battery cells, toxic smoke, and intense heat. When lithium-ion batteries fail, he explained, they enter thermal runaway—a chain reaction that causes rapid overheating, explosions, and unpredictable projectiles.

The incidents have surged in recent years as e-bikes, e-scooters, and other personal mobility devices have proliferated across the city. Toronto Fire has repeatedly urged residents to avoid charging e-bikes or scooters overnight, use only manufacturer-approved chargers, keep devices away from exits and living spaces, and replace damaged or swollen batteries immediately.

City Councillor Nathan Shan, who represents Scarborough Rouge Park, called the fire "deeply unsettling for an entire building" and said his office is in contact with Toronto Community Housing to provide support to displaced residents. Shan also confirmed Monday that the three people transported to hospital reported non-life-threatening injuries.