E-bike battery blamed for Coeur d'Alene police fire

A battery from one of the new e-bikes for the Coeur d'Alene Police Department was blamed for the recent fire that destroyed a building filled with police vehicles, gear and equipment.

“This was an unfortunate and unexpected failure that caused the fire and is being ruled an accident,” State Fire Marshal Knute Sandahl said in a press release. 

Fire investigators from the Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department completed their investigation of the Coeur d’Alene Police storage building that occurred in the early morning hours of June 9.

Fire pattern analysis had investigators focus on recently acquired battery-operated e-bicycles, "one of which clearly showed evidence of a catastrophic failure of the lithium-ion battery pack that was being charged after being used that evening by police," the release said. 

Officers assigned to bike patrol had received training on the e-bicycles before they were to be placed into service. 

"Examination of the charging station showed that it was properly plugged into an outlet and there was no evidence of misuse or prior damage of either the e-bicycle or charging unit," the release said.

Police lost about 10 vehicles in the blaze that started about 5 a.m., including an incident command trailer, a SWAT BearCat armored unit, nearly 100 laptops, new e-bikes and everything associated with its canine program. 

The building was the home of code enforcement, animal control and the police department’s information technology division. It also housed the department’s special teams equipment.

Losses were estimated to be in the millions.

It took 30 firefighters nearly four hours to extinguish the blaze. The building was unoccupied at the time.

During Tuesday's City Council meeting, Councilman Dan Gookin asked Police Chief Lee White why the building did not have a sprinkler system.

White said when the building was acquired in 2016, it wasn't required that it have a sprinkler system as it was predominately used for storage. He also said that at the time, it would have cost $15,000 to have a sprinkler system included and the city did not have the funds.

Gookin said in retrospect, the move was pennywise but pound foolish.

"I agree," White said.

He said a new building will have a sprinkler system.

The Idaho State Fire Marshal’s Office was tasked as the lead investigating agency due to the complexities and high-dollar loss of the fire. ATF provided additional assistance due to the large loss from a government entity.

“This was a difficult, multi-day investigation,” Sandahl said. "There were many complex aspects of the fire that needed to be sorted out."

Sandahl said a forensic analysis will be conducted by the city’s insurance company, but the results will not be known for several months. 

“This is pretty typical for an insurance company because the failed product is so new, and the loss is so great,” Sandahl added.

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an emergency declaration request by White to streamline the process to begin replacing what was lost in the fire.

"The scope of this is huge," White said.

White said it was not a request for more money but simply an effort to avoid a cumbersome purchasing process. He said they would like to replace some items, including laptops and radios, quickly.

Code enforcement, for instance, lost all its vehicles in the blaze.

"We're scrambling to get them some wheels," White said.

White has said his department still has all its patrol cars so police coverage will continue as usual.

He said they are still making a list of everything lost in the fire, likely numbering more than 1,000, and working with their insurance carrier, ICRIMP. He said he is satisfied with the speed and accuracy.

"It's been quite a process," White said.

Councilwoman Christie Wood agreed with the request.

"We have to replace some of this critical equipment," she said. 

    Investigators look over the aftermath of the June 9 fire that destroyed a city building filled with police vehicles, equipment and gear.