An Ebike manufacturer is refusing to take responsibility for a bike that burst into flames in Wexford last Tuesday 13th August, according to the bikes owner.
Tiernan Doyle, who is 18, from Barntown was just minutes away from his home when he started to notice smoke coming from the bike. He told South East Radio News that he was terrified as he explained what happened on the evening in question.
“I had just come home from work, I finished working at six. It was a very busy day so I wanted to clear my head a bit. I took the bike outside and there seemed to be no problems at all, I obviously do testing before I take the bike out – like check breaks and the motor and everything and I make sure everything’s charged.
I took it down my driveway and about 10 seconds up the road it started smoking. So I instantly stopped and I just threw myself off the bike, this is all in space of five seconds and then the bike started going on fire.
I was absolutely terrified now to be honest with you.”
Tiernan said that he was lucky not to be injured and lucky that this hadn’t happened in the family home:
“Every time I think about that it makes me feel sick to my stomach. My parents work hard for what we have and if that had have happened in the house, it would have been on me. Im absolutely petrified.”
He went on to explain that he has been in contact with the company that sold him the bike and they told him that they ‘don’t care’. Despite the bike being within warranty an only clocking 450-500 km.
“They are taking no responsibility at all. I’ve tried to ring in them. I’ve tried to messaged them. I said to them, can they explain to me what happened with the bike? They actually responded and they said, we don’t care and told me to go public about it.”
Tiernan has kept the bike and is continuing to try to get answers from the manufacturer in Dublin. In the meantime he has just passed his driving test and is in the market for a car but said he wouldn’t be interested in an electric vehicle of any kind.
