On March 11th, it was reported that in recent years, there have been numerous fire incidents caused by electric bicycles, with one major reason being improper charging practices. Residents often resort to unauthorized wiring for charging, parking in safety passages, and charging on upper floors, which ultimately lead to disasters.
In the near term, the entire country is undertaking comprehensive measures to address similar issues and mitigate safety hazards.
Today, the Henan Provincial Fire Rescue Corps, Henan Provincial Public Security Department, Henan Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Henan Provincial Emergency Management Department jointly issued a notice. It states that in the public lobbies, evacuation corridors, stairwells, and safety exits of high-rise civilian buildings, it is prohibited to park electric bicycles or charge them. Offenders are required to correct their actions.
Failure to comply will result in fines ranging from 2000 to 10000 CNY for businesses and individuals engaged in commercial activities, and fines ranging from 500 to 1000 CNY for non-commercial entities and individuals.
For charging electric bicycles in public corridors, stairwells, and lobbies of other residential buildings, offenders will be required to correct their actions. Failure to comply will result in a fine of 200 CNY.
For unauthorized parking of electric bicycles, blocking evacuation passages, safety exits, or engaging in other behaviors hindering safe evacuation, offenders will be ordered to rectify the situation. Units will face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 CNY, while individuals will receive warnings or fines of up to 500 CNY.
Those who refuse to rectify the situation despite orders to do so will face forced compliance, with expenses borne by the violator.
If a fire caused by unauthorized parking or charging of electric bicycles does not constitute a criminal offense, offenders will face detention of 10 to 15 days and may be fined up to 500 CNY. For less severe cases, warnings or fines of up to 500 CNY may be imposed.
If electric bicycles are illegally parked or cause fires due to charging, leading to criminal offenses, the individuals involved will be held criminally responsible according to the law.
For the offense of arson, individuals may face imprisonment ranging from over 3 years to less than 7 years; in less severe cases, the sentence may be less than 3 years of imprisonment or detention. In cases where the offense constitutes a fire safety accident, individuals directly responsible may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to 3 years or detention. In cases where the consequences are particularly severe, individuals may face imprisonment ranging from over 3 years to less than 7 years.
