An ear-splitting bang jolted workers in central Auckland this morning before smoke could be seen billowing from a parked electric scooter after the helmet lock malfunctioned.
Witnesses standing next to the faulty Beam e-scooter, parked in a scooter rack on Graham St, said "pieces went flying" and there was "smoke but no fire".
Battery debris and parts from the vehicle could be seen littered on the footpath next to the overturned e-scooter, and the helmet was no longer attached.
One bystander told the Herald it would have been dangerous if anyone was standing closer to the vehicle, and the bang was "super loud".