2 Backpackers Escape E-Bike Fire in Hostel

Two men barely escaped after an e-bike exploded in an Australian hostel. Fire and Rescue New South Wales say these “two backpackers made a lucky escape.” Flames burst through the doorway as the two men ran out of the room. Authorities believe the fireball was caused by a lithium-ion battery in an e-bike. Electric bikes and scooters rose in popularity during the pandemic, though some have raised the alarm on the fire risk they could pose.