A new safety warning over e-bikes and e-scooters has been issued after two more house fires over Easter. The first happened at a semi-detached house in Dalston, east London, in the early hours of Sunday, April 9, when a charging e-bike set alight.
The staircase was damaged in the blaze and a man had to be rescued from the first floor, as the bike blocked an escape route. He was treated for smoke inhalation. A second blaze broke out the following day on the ground floor of a three-storey house in Streatham, south London.
Two men were led to safety by firefighters. A woman and three children managed to leave the house before the crews arrived.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) took about an hour to tame the flames. Fire chiefs have issued an urgent warning about the charging and storing of e-bikes and scooters following the two latest incidents.
Sofia Duarte, 21, died on New Year’s Day after a converted e-bike battery burst into flames in the entrance of her London flat. LFB Deputy Commissioner Dom Ellis said: "Investigators believe a converted e-bike caught fire at the house in Dalston and we understand the bike's batteries were purchased online second-hand.
"The bike was on charge at the time and due to where it was being charged, blocked an escape route and a man had to be rescued by our firefighters via a short extension ladder. It is vital that you never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. And the only way to be sure of a legal, safe and reliable e-bike is to buy one in complete form, from a trusted and reputed retailer.
"Meanwhile, at the incident on Barrow Road, a smoking e-scooter was moved by an occupant from a room to a communal area of the house where the fire then spread. Moving the scooter significantly increased the risk to everyone inside the house and reaffirms our advice which is if you suspect there is a fire involving these types vehicles, leave it, shut the door, get out and call 999."
In 2023, on average, LFB has been called to an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days. This is a 60 per cent increase in the rate of these fires compared to the same period last year.
According to LFB, most people injured in these fires are in their 20s. They are also more likely to occur in homes where multiple adults are living together without children.
E-bikes and e-scooters are at their most risky when their lithium batteries are charging, as this is the time these batteries are most likely to fail. Lithium batteries store a significant amount of energy in a very small space and are much more powerful compared to other types of batteries.
If that energy is released in an uncontrolled way a fire or explosion can occur, the LFB warned. Also, if there is overheating, crushing, penetrating or overcharging, then a fault can occur within damaged battery cells which may cause the battery to catch fire or explode.
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Some people use conversion kits to allow an electric motor to be added to bikes, but not all of them are sold with a battery. Cheaper batteries are available online, but they do not always adhere to the UK’s safety regulations. As a result, they are more likely to fail and present an increased fire risk.
DIY installations can also lead to damage of the kit, increasing the chances of battery failure and the likelihood of a fire, experts warned. On New Year's Day, 21-year-old Sofia Duarte died after a converted e-bike’s battery burst into flames in the entrance to her flat in Bermondsey, south east London.
The incident led her mother to urge people to take care with e-scooters and e-bikes. Maria Frasquilho Macarro said: “Sofia loved life, she loved to party and she enjoyed her job working behind the bar at a nightclub. Now all I have left is my daughter’s ashes.
“I really want to make sure her death is not in vain and if I can raise awareness about the dangers of e-bikes and lithium batteries then there will be a positive in this. If we can save someone else’s life, I will take great comfort in that because at the moment I am hurting - I don’t want others to suffer as much as I have done.
“Sofia meant the world to me and my family. I don’t know how to live without her. It feels like a nightmare and I can’t wake up.”
The LFB have set up the #ChargeSafe campaign, which aims to highlight the fire risks associated with lithium batteries. As part of the campaign, the brigade outlined safety tips for e-bike and e-scooter users, urging people not to block escape routes, check the battery and charger meets UK safety standards and always use the correct and official charger from a reputable seller.
People must also let the battery cool before charging, unplug the charger once it’s finished charging and fit alarms wherever they may charge, experts warned.
