An electric moped parked in a street in Schaerbeek caught fire on Monday afternoon in what a Brussels fire brigade spokesperson described as a “spontaneous” blaze.
Firefighters were called to Schaerbeek's Rue Gaucheret at around 14:00 on Monday after being notified that a moped was on fire.
"The vehicle was parked on the street and was not charging. It is probably a case of spontaneous combustion," fire brigade spokesperson Walter Derieuw told BX1.
Firefighters removed the moped's rechargeable battery and placed it in a cooling metal container filled with water, Derieuw said, adding that municipal officials were going to reevaluate the battery's temperature within 24 hours.
The spokesperson said that, following the incident, the SIAMU fire and medical emergency department were looking into acquiring a container destined for cooling electric-powered vehicles on fire.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
