An electric bike battery is reported to have exploded in a German bike shop and caused half a million euros worth of damage.

Thankfully nobody was hurt but the shop in Hannover was completely destroyed, an endangered driver also had to be rescued from the car park above the shop.

Shop owners report hearing a loud bang before several fires broke out around the shop that then spread quickly to engulf the building. It took 70 firefighters and 30 vehicles to finally extinguish the inferno.

Don’t let this scare you though, it’s extremely unlikely that lithium batteries will explode, however a number of fires caused by cheap ‘hoverboards’ (or more recently Samsung Galaxy phones) show that there is a risk. There are a number of safety tips you can follow to ensure they are as safe as possible though:

Read the owner’s manual and follow any caution stickers

Use the charger that comes with the battery

Charge in a dry space

For more information, click here.

At the moment, the make and model of the bike has not been released.