Do you charge your electric scooter indoors?
2025-09-23 Academic News
E-scooters have become a part of everyday life – they are practical, fast, and popular among both young people and adults. But the batteries that power them can also pose a serious fire hazard.
We recommend that all individuals, organizations, businesses, and property managers establish clear routines and rules to ensure that charging does not take place inside apartments, houses, stairwells, or escape routes. If charging must take place indoors elsewhere, the charging safety guidelines should be followed carefully.
This is not just about protecting buildings and material values; it is about safeguarding lives and health.
Why do e-scooters pose a risk?
The battery is often located under the scooter and is exposed to imapacts and shocks from curbs, stairs, and uneven roads. Shocks can damage battery cells and increase the likelihood of fire.
Lithium-ion batteries, which are often used in e-scooters, are energy-efficient but can become extremely dangerous when damaged, overheated, or incorrectly charged. Such fires develop quickly, may appear explosive, spread rapidly to the surroundings, and are difficult to extinguish with regular fire extinguishers. Battery fires also produce a lot of smoke, which can be highly toxic.
If e-scooters are charged in a corridor intended as an escape route, or in an area that functions as one, the risk of severe injury increases significantly.
Since 2016, more than 330 fires or fire incidents related to e-scooters have been recorded in Norway, according to figures from the Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB). Fatalities have occurred as a result of e-scooters being charged indoors (VIB).
Different buildings – different challenges
Hotels, nursing homes, and residences
In places where people sleep, fires can have particularly serious consequences. Some people take time to wake up, while others may need assistance to evacuate.
Shopping centers and other commercial buildings
We unfortunately often see e-scooters placed in back rooms or in escape routes. This is very dangerous and can block evacuation paths.
Public buildings, office buildings, and similar Placing e-scooters in entrances or inside or outside emergency exits will seriously impair evacuation possibilities. E-scooters stored in indoor bicycle rooms not designed for such use also pose a significant risk.
Industrial buildings In areas with fire hazardous activities or storage of flammable substances, it is unfortunate to have situated e-scooters that, respectively, add extra fire energy or introduce a new source of ignition.
Our recommendation
As fire safety consultants at PID Solutions AS, we recommend that all enterprises:
- Prohibit charging and storage of e-scooters in stairwells, escape routes, or rooms without smoke detectors and fire alarms.
- Inform employees, guests, and tenants about why this is important.
- Provide safe outdoor spaces for parking and possibly charging. These must not be located directly outside emergency exits, air intakes for ventilation systems, or smoke ventilation inlet openings.
- Establish routines and inspections to ensure compliance.
Finally
A small battery can be enough to start a fire that threatens both lives and property. With simple routines and systematic safety measures, you can significantly reduce the risk – and prevent loss of life.
At PID Solutions AS, we are happy to assist with advice, routines, and training to keep your buildings safe.
