Electric scooter explodes during charging

An electric scooter caught fire while charging at an apartment building in Daegu on Wednesday.

No one was reported injured, but the scooter was destroyed and the fire from the lithium-ion battery explosion spread to the front door, amounting to an estimated 4.5 million won ($4,000) of property damage. The fire was reportedly put out in 45 minutes. 

Fire department officials cautioned people against overcharging electric vehicles, as some of the chemicals in lithium batteries for electric vehicles evaporate at high temperatures, creating explosive, flammable gas.

By Kim Jee-min (jeeminkim@heraldcorp.com)