San Jose resident dies after rechargeable e-bike battery sparks apartment fire

A San Jose man died after an early morning apartment fire that was sparked by a rechargeable battery, the San Jose Fire Department said Saturday.

The fire began around 8:30 a.m. inside an apartment on the 4200 block of Norwalk Drive when a battery in an e-bike began to spark, the fire department said.

There were two people inside the home at the time. According to the fire department, one resident made it out safely, while the other stayed inside to try to extinguish the fire.

The person left the apartment not long after but collapsed. Fire officials said a neighbor performed CPR while crews arrived but that they had life-threatening injuries and died at the hospital.

"Lithium-ion battery fires produce thick, toxic smoke within seconds, which can contain carbon monoxide and other highly irritating gases," the fire department said. "Exposure can be deadly within moments."