In a strange twist of fate, a fire broke out in the warehouse of the Red Power Bikes retail store in Huntington Beach, California this week. Electrek Report. The structural explosion came less than two months after the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warned customers to “immediately stop” using and dispose of some of the company’s e-bike batteries due to fire risk. In December, Red filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, stating that it could not afford to recall the batteries.
“We are working with local authorities to review the thermal incident that occurred at our Huntington Beach store Sunday evening,” a Rad Power Bikes spokesperson told Engadget. “The incident has been brought under control and occurred while the store was closed. The cause of the fire has not been confirmed.”
A two-alarm fire recently gutted a commercial complex containing multiple businesses. Footage of the fire shows e-bikes outside the warehouse as firefighters battle the blaze. Engadget has contacted RED for more information on the impact of the fire.
CPSC’s November warning reported 31 reports of fires, 12 of which involved property damage. In some cases, the battery was in storage, not being charged or used, yet it caught fire. CPSC asks customers to get rid of specific models of Red’s lithium-ion batteries (in a safe, detailed way). It claimed that “dangerous” batteries were at risk of burning or exploding, even more so if wet or in contact with debris.
Rad told the CPSC that it cannot take back the batteries because it cannot offer replacement and refunds. “RAD offered several good solutions to address the agency’s concerns, including the opportunity for consumers to upgrade to Safe Shield batteries (described below) at a substantial discount. CPSC declined this opportunity,” Rad Power Bikes said in a statement at the time. “The significant costs of the all-or-nothing demand would force Red to close its doors immediately, leaving no way to support our riders or our staff.”
The company also said it disagrees with the CPSC’s “characterization of some Red batteries as defective or unsafe.” It also pointed to the incidence rate being less than one percent and said all lithium-ion batteries come with risks when customers do things – such as improper charging and excessive exposure to moisture – that RAD cautions against.
Update, January 20, 2026, 11:08 am ET: This story has been updated to include a statement from Rad Power Bikes.
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