Firefighters warn about increase in electric motorcycle fires in Cuba

The Cuban Fire Department warned about the increase in fires involving electric motorcycles, since in the first six months of the year 263 accidents of this type were recorded.

The aforementioned figure exceeds that of the same period in 2019 by 42 and in the first quarter of this year an average of 1.5 electric motorcycle fires were recorded daily and 43.8 monthly, according to data provided to official media by Jercy González Longo, Specialist of the National Extinction Department of the Cuban Fire Department.

The specialist highlighted that 119 of these accidents (45%) have occurred between 9:00 at night and 7:00 in the morning, and the majority inside garages and residential buildings. Of these, 45 have occurred with the battery charger connected to power.

So far this year, the events have left one dead and eight injured.

Havana accumulates 47.2% of the total incidents, followed by Artemisa, with 10.2%; Matanzas, with 9.5%; and Villa Clara, with 7.6%.

These figures decreased considerably in the subsequent months due to the coronavirus quarantine, but since the Cuban government announced the beginning of the reopening, the reporting of cases on social networks has increased again.

"If this behavior continues, at the end of 2020 the number may exceed 500 and the consequences also tend to get worse," González Longo warned.

According to the Fire Department and the Department of Breakdowns, Explosions and Fires (AVEXI) of the Ministry of the Interior, these fires are caused by a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, which is produced by the excess pressures accumulated inside the battery, due to the chemical reaction that releases heat and at the same time feeds back on it.

"Its envelope fractures and a cloud of flammable vapors at high temperatures expand at high speed which, upon contact with the oxygen in the air, can cause an explosion accompanied by flames," explained González, who highlighted that the reaction can exceed 700°. C and unleash a group of chain explosions when the rest of the battery cells are affected.

An electric motorcycle is fundamentally made up of combustible substances, but polymers predominate almost entirely and plastic predominates in the aesthetic accessories, bodywork, accessories and drivers, which contributes to dispersing toxic substances when combustion, according to the explanation of the Corps specialist. of Cuban Firefighters.