Rad Energy Bikes warehouse catches fireplace following flammable battery warnings

In a wierd accident, a fireplace broke out this week on the Rad Energy Bikes retail retailer warehouse in Huntington Seashore, California, Electrek reports. The structural blaze got here lower than two months after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned prospects to “instantly cease” utilizing and eliminate among the firm’s e-bike batteries resulting from fireplace hazard. In December, Rad filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety, stating it could not afford to recall the batteries.

“We’re working with native authorities to evaluation a thermal incident that occurred at our Huntington Seashore retailer Sunday night,” a Rad Energy Bikes spokesperson informed Engadget. “The incident was contained and occurred whereas the shop was closed. The reason for the hearth has not been confirmed.”

The current two-alarm fireplace hit a industrial complicated with a number of companies. Footage from the fire reveals e-bikes exterior of the warehouse as firemen fought the blaze. Engadget has reached out to Rad for extra data on the hearth’s impression.

The CPSC’s November warning informed of 31 reviews of fireside, with 12 of these involving property harm. In some instances, the battery was in storage, not being charged or used, but nonetheless caught fireplace. The CPSC informed prospects to eliminate (in a protected, detailed method) particular fashions of Rad’s lithium-ion batteries. It claimed that the “hazardous” batteries have been prone to igniting or exploding, much more if moist or interacting with particles.

Rad informed the CPSC it could not recall the batteries because it could not afford to supply replacements and refunds. “Rad supplied a number of good-faith options to handle the company’s issues, together with providing shoppers a possibility to improve to Protected Defend batteries (described beneath) at a considerable low cost. CPSC rejected this chance,” Rad Power Bikes said in a statement on the time. “The numerous value of the all-or-nothing demand would drive Rad to close its doorways instantly, leaving no strategy to assist our riders or our workers.”

The corporate additionally mentioned it disagreed with the CPSC’s “characterization of sure Rad batteries as faulty or unsafe.” It additionally pointed to the incident charge being beneath one % and said that every one lithium-ion batteries include a threat when prospects do issues — akin to improper charging and extreme publicity to moisture — that Rad cautions in opposition to.

Replace, January 20 2026, 11:08AM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate a press release from Rad Energy Bikes.