This article originally stated that the fire was started with an e-bike was plugged in when it was, in fact, an electric scooter — Ed.
Fifteen people lost their homes temporarily on Tuesday after a lithium-ion battery fire sparked when an electric scooter was plugged into a charger in a high rise in San Diego's East Village neighborhood.
San Diego Fire-Rescue got the call Tuesday night a little before 7:15 that a fire had broken out at 1 14th St., at the corner of Commercial Street.
When crews arrived, they quickly located the scene; fortunately for residents, the fire, which was on the fourth floor, was already out, extinguished by the building's sprinkler system.
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However, water from the sprinklers had created "extensive" water damage in 14 units on the floor below, displacing those 15 residents. One person was examined for smoke inhalation but they declined to be taken to a hospital for treatment, officials said.
The fire and water damage were estimated to have caused about $150,000 in damage, according to SDFD.
