A narrow escape of a father and a son from Solapur district of Maharashtra was caught on CCTV camera when an electric scooter suddenly caught fire in a busy urban area, forcing the duo run to safety. The incident, captured on CCTV and widely circulated on social media, has raised long-standing concerns regarding the safety protocols and thermal management of electric vehicles (EVs) in India.
The motorcycle is said to be an Ola Electric scooter. The viral footage shows the father waiting on his parked scooter while his son approaches to stand on the footboard. Almost immediately after the boy boards the scooter, thick white smoke begins billowing from beneath the seat.
Sensing the immediate danger, the father is seen pulling his son away and jumping off the vehicle just seconds before it is engulfed in flames. Onlookers and local residents rushed to the scene with water and fire extinguishers, successfully containing the blaze before it could spread to nearby vehicles or property. No injuries were reported, though the scooter was left as a charred frame.
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Ola Electric has yet to release an official statement regarding this specific incident. In similar cases previously reported in Pune and Bengaluru, the manufacturer has typically attributed such fires to "isolated thermal incidents" or the use of unauthorised aftermarket accessories that cause short circuits.
Ola Electric has claimed that its battery packs meet global safety standards and undergo rigorous testing. However, the recurring nature of these events has led to increased scrutiny from both consumers and regulatory bodies.
Technical experts suggest that most EV fires are the result of "thermal runaway"—a chain reaction where a battery cell overheats, causing adjacent cells to follow suit.