Rad Power Bikes warehouse catches fire following flammable battery warnings

"In a strange twist of fate, a fire broke out this week at the Rad Power Bikes retail store warehouse in Huntington Beach, California, Electrek reports. The structural blaze came less than two months after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned customers to "immediately stop" using and dispose of some of the company's e-bike batteries due to fire hazard. In December, Rad filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, stating it couldn't afford to recall the batteries."

"The CPSC's November warning told of 31 reports of fire, with 12 of those involving property damage. In some cases, the battery was in storage, not being charged or used, yet still caught fire. The CPSC told customers to get rid of (in a safe, detailed manner) specific models of Rad's lithium-ion batteries. It claimed that the "hazardous" batteries were at risk of igniting or exploding, even more if wet or interacting with debris."

"Rad offered multiple good-faith solutions to address the agency's concerns, including offering consumers an opportunity to upgrade to Safe Shield batteries (described below) at a substantial discount. CPSC rejected this opportunity," Rad Power Bikes said in a statement at the time. "The significant cost of the all-or-nothing demand would force Rad to shut its doors immediately, leaving no way to support our riders or our employees."

A two-alarm fire broke out at the Rad Power Bikes retail warehouse in Huntington Beach, California, affecting a commercial complex and visible e-bikes outside the facility. The blaze happened less than two months after the Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers to immediately stop using and dispose of specific Rad lithium-ion batteries due to fire and explosion hazards. The CPSC reported 31 fires, 12 involving property damage, and noted some batteries ignited while in storage. Rad filed for Chapter 11 in December, stating it could not afford a full recall, and said it had offered discounted Safe Shield upgrades that the CPSC rejected.

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