TESTIMONY. Man seriously burned after his electric bike battery exploded: “I spent eight days in an artificial coma”

Is assisted cycling harmful to your health? With the boom in electric vehicles, battery accidents have increased in recent years. Eric P., a Fuxé resident in his sixties, is one of these victims who bitterly regretted their purchase.

On the occasion of his 60th birthday in January 2023, Eric, in early retirement at La Poste, decides to treat himself by becoming the happy owner of an electric bike. He opts for a little queen from the Spanish brand BH (Beistegui Hermanos), priced at 2,999 euros. “Even if it’s not really a mountain bike, it’s designed to go on different types of paths,” explains the sixty-year-old.

The dream that turns into a nightmare

During the first months, Eric is satisfied with his purchase. He multiplies the outings in accordance with the sunny days, climbs the Prat d’Albis… until the arrival of summer. “In August, I went on vacation with my granddaughter to the seaside at Grau d’Agde. As we were staying there all week, I decided to take my bike with me,” says the Fuxéen. Here again, Eric takes advantage of the setting to cycle every morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

But towards the end of his stay, on Friday, his life will change. And this love affair with his faithful steed will turn into a nightmare. “I took my bike with the idea of ​​going for a ride to the mouth of the Canal du Midi which flows into the Etang de Thau in Marseillan.” Arriving at the edge of the canal, at the nautical center, Eric parks his two-wheeler to go for a walk, armed with his camera. After having had his fill of shots, he decides to return to his mount which is patiently waiting for him. “All of a sudden, the stand gave way. The bike tipped over and, because of its weight, began to slide towards the canal. By the time I rushed over, I couldn’t hold it and it fell into the “water”, he says.

“I heard like fireworks popping”

The canal is not deep at this location, trainees from the nautical club help him get out his bike which has spent almost ten minutes submerged in the water. Once his bike is on dry land, Eric waits about half an hour for it to dry. Aware that it would not be prudent to engage the electric assistance after this mishap, he removed the battery and put it in his backpack for the duration of the journey. A decision he will pay a high price for.

“Before I even had time to get on my bike, I heard like fireworks about to explode. I knew right away that there was a problem,” he continues. Eric then has the reflex to get rid of his backpack, but the strap at the belt prevents him from going through with his action. “By the time I reached to unclip the strap, the battery exploded and from that point on I don’t remember anything. The only thing I remember is that there was a person with a hose sprinkler which sprayed me with water”, he relates.

“I had both legs burned”

Emergency airlifted to Montpellier University Hospital, Eric will be placed in an artificial coma for eight days and will remain in the intensive care unit for an entire month. “I had both legs burned, one of which was 30%, with deep second-degree burns and part of it third-degree. And also my right hand and right arm up to the elbow,” lists the Fuxéen with pain. . When he left the hospital, he joined the Lamalou-les-Bains rehabilitation center, specializing in severe burns. “I spent two months there. I arrived lying down, unable to move… I had to relearn how to get up, sit down…”, adds the La Poste employee.

Returning to the county town in December, he must undergo three physiotherapy sessions per week and wear compressive clothing daily for at least two years. “For a year, I haven’t been able to do anything…”, he says. Today the trial is still going on. For Eric, in addition to the moral damage he suffered, it is also important to hold manufacturers accountable by clearly indicating the risks incurred with these new batteries.