Family warns of E-bike battery risks after explosion, fire kills teen
CROWN HEIGHTS (WABC) -- A Crown Heights, Brooklyn family is remembering a loving son and brother who died at 18 years old after they said the e-bike battery he was charging exploded.
The family is now hoping his story leads to regulations surrounding where people can charge e-bikes inside apartment buildings.
"It doesn't feel real to me; I'm still praying and hoping it's a nightmare or dream I can wake up from," said Angelica Welch, the mother of 18-year-old Caleb Matthews. "He was full of joy, he made everyone smile, he's always helpful, one of the kindest sweetest people you'd ever meet."
Firefighters responded to the Albany Houses on Troy Avenue on August 28th after a fire was reported in a 12th-floor apartment. FDNY confirmed that investigators believe a lithium-ion battery was the spark.
Family members said Caleb knew the bikes well and it was a family hobby, saying that he had even researched the specific batteries for his bike before purchasing them.
"We used to ride the e bikes all the time, over the Brooklyn bridge, over the Manhattan bridge, go hang out in the city, ride up the West Side Highway, that was an adventure the three of us liked to do," said Joseph Matthews, Caleb's father. "One advice I would give to families that have e-bikes: don't keep it next to your entrance or exit to your home, especially if you don't have a fire escape, because anything can happen at any time."
"Policies need to be changed to stop having e-bikes being charged in an apartment building or in a home," Welch said. "Caleb researched those batteries before he bought them."
The family said Caleb had just graduated high school and was planning to attend college. They hope the community remembers him as someone who was wise beyond his years and was a joy to everyone he met.
"Remember his smile, remember who he was, how he made everyone feel, how he touched everyone in each and every way," his mother said.
After planning a balloon release in Caleb's honor, a 'going home' service is now scheduled for Saturday, September 19th at 9:30 a.m. at St. Matthews Church in Brooklyn, followed by a celebration of life at Nazareth High School at 12:30 p.m.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family pay for funeral expenses, hoping to raise $14,000. As of publication, more than 100 people had donated.
