A family of five in Karnataka’s Mandya district had a narrow escape as an electric scooter suddenly exploded inside their home in the morning today, destroying several household items such as a TV, fridge and mobile phones.

An electric scooter from the Route Electric company, which was connected to a charging point inside the home, exploded within minutes of being plugged in and went up in flames. The incident took place in Valagerehalli village in Maddur taluk.

The owner of the vehicle, Muthuraj, had bought the e-scooter for Rs 85,000 just six months ago from a showroom in Mandya.

Fortunately, no one in the family was close to the scooter when it exploded. However, a TV set, a fridge, a dining table, mobile phones, and other items were burnt in the fire caused by the explosion.

“At the time of the accident, my family members were all present. There was a child close to the scooty when it caught fire. We couldn’t control the fire,” Muthuraj told journalists.