September 2024
Management sent us a letter stating that we need to remove our e-bike from our unit and move it to the bike parking area due to being a fire hazard. It needs to be charged every night for four hours fully attended to prevent overcharging.
I would like to know more about condo rules and Fire Department Regulations governing this.
C. F.
Response from Toronto Condo News
E-bikes in high-rise buildings remains a challenge for which there is currently no clear resolution.
The popularity and benefit of e-bikes is without question. Yet high-rise communities have no solution to the fire safety implications.
An e-bike battery presents safety concerns and is the cause of a growing number of fires in buildings. Too many people use substandard batteries, choose not to replace those that get damaged, and fail to charge them in a safe manner. In New York City, the fire department now requires city landlords to post a safety warning to apartment dwellers about fires caused by e-bike batteries. They have published an emergency safety bulletin to help prevent these deadly blazes caused by electric or battery-operated bikes, scooters and hoverboards.
While there is no comparable information available for Toronto, it is reasonable to presume the same problems exist here.
There are no fire code regulations prohibiting the use of e-bikes in buildings, and condo boards have authority to implement rules restricting their transport – along with bicycles – in a building and relegating them to a bicycle storage or parking area.
Some New York City condominium communities are revising their rules to prohibit guests from bringing e-bikes, scooters or other mobility devices that use lithium-ion batteries onto the property. If one is brought onto the property and causes a fire, the owner is responsible for damages. It appears that your building is taking a less draconian approach to this issue.
See E-bike Battery Fire Risk in the Condo Archives.
While I realize this does not offer you a practical solution, I hope it does provide a better understanding of the issue.
Best of luck.
