A safety warning has been issued after an e-bike caused a house fire in Leytonstone on Wednesday.
Part of the ground floor of a terraced house in Grove Rd was damaged by fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by the failure of a lithium-ion battery pack for an e-bike that had been on charge.
Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters from Leytonstone, Leyton and Walthamstow attended the scene.
Firefighters have issued another e-bike safety warning after a house fire in #Leytonstone. Always make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging & don’t leave it unattended or charging while people are asleep https://t.co/WWWmXMBzcv pic.twitter.com/fw8LIwgIGE
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) January 19, 2022
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Two occupants were alerted to the fire when they heard bangs coming from a bedroom on the ground floor. They investigated and saw a fire in the room before leaving the building.
“We know that lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used, so it’s important to always use the correct charger for the product and buy an official one from a reputable seller.
“Batteries can also pose a risk if they have been damaged, so try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried as spares as this can increase the chance of damage to cells. You should also not expose them to extremes of temperature.
“You should always make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging. Always follow manufacturers’ instructions when charging and we would advise not to leave it unattended or while people are asleep.
“This is also a timely reminder to keep internal doors to rooms not in use closed to stop smoke spreading if a fire starts. The property sustained substantial smoke damaged due to internal doors inside the property being left open.”
The Brigade was called at 4.10pm and the fire was under control by 5.08pm.
