The London Fire Brigade has issued an urgent e-bike safety warning following a serious fire in a block of flats in Shepherd’s Bush. Investigators determined the fire was caused by the failure of an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery.
London’s firefighters have seen a huge spike in e-bike and e-scooter incidents as they have become more popular in recent years.
Just this year in London, there have been nearly 40 fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters. There have been a further 17 fires involving other lithium-ion batteries.
It is crucial therefore that e-bikes or e-scooters are never stored in communal areas in blocks of flats. As well as potentially causing fires, they can also block the only means of escape.
Here are some useful tips to avoid fires from electrical appliances in the home:
- Do not overload your sockets and if possible only use RCD sockets that would interrupt supply in the event of a fault
- Never cover chargers or charging devices – that includes avoid using your laptop power lead in bed.
- Always use the charger that came with your phone, tablet, e-cigarette or mobile device.
- Do not store fuel or battery-operated vehicles such as motorbikes and electric scooters in the escape corridors or in close proximity to the building; and do not charge them overnight.
- Do not leave items continuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete – it’s best not to leave your phone plugged in overnight.
- Always make sure new appliances are registered so that manufacturers can contact you in the event of any problems – it takes minutes to do so on: https://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/
Further advice can be found on the London Fire Brigade website.
