Pair sues for $640K after e-bike battery fire

Two Winnipeg residents are suing an American firm that makes electric bicycles over allegations its product sparked a fire that caused extensive damage to their home in 2023.

Saskatoon lawyer Carter Bezugly filed the lawsuit in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench on behalf of Azhar and Arnan Shaikh this month.

The statement of claim names Hyper Bicycles Inc., along with the unknown third parties from whom the residents purchased a Hyper electric bicycle in March 2021, as defendants. It’s unclear whether the bike was second-hand. The residents are seeking more than $640,000 in damages, plus interest and court costs.

The bicycle, a Hyper MTB 36V E-Bike, included a detachable lithium-ion battery pack that could be mounted to its frame and charged with an adaptor, the lawsuit says.

On the evening of March 15, 2023, one of the plaintiffs plugged in the battery using the regular charger at their St. Vital home, the claim says.

Early the next morning, the battery’s plastic material caught fire, the lawsuit alleges.

“The fire caused damage to the home and other property of the plaintiffs that was in the home in an amount exceeding $640,108.95,” reads the claim.

At the time, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said crews were called to the Westdale Place bungalow just before 3:30 a.m.

Firefighters got the blaze under control in an hour.

WFPS investigators determined the fire was caused by the e-bike’s charger, fire department spokeswoman Kristin Cuma said recently. The blaze was deemed an accident.

The claim has not yet been proven in court. Hyper Bicycles did not comment and has yet to file a statement of defence.

In May 2023, Health Canada warned about an increase in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters across the continent in recent years.

The federal health agency pointed to government data from the United States that indicated there were at least 208 incidents in which batteries overheated or caused fires from January 2021 to the end of November 2022, resulting in at least 19 fatalities.

Health Canada warned in a public advisory that modifying or misusing lithium-ion batteries in electric bikes or scooters can be “extremely dangerous.”

The agency suggested keeping the batteries away from anything that could catch fire and to ensure the devices aren’t overcharged.

In July 2024, Health Canada added lithium-ion batteries to its list of products that could pose a danger to health and safety because of fire risk, if certain performance criteria aren’t met.

Canadian Underwriter, an insurance industry magazine, warned in an article early last year that insurers should review their exposure to e-scooter claims in light of the recent increase in lithium-ion battery fires.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca