Four hurt and Ilford house partly destroyed after e-bike fire

The first floor of a mid-terraced house was destroyed in the fire in Hampton Road, Ilford yesterday (June 17). 

Half of the building’s roof was also destroyed in the blaze.

Dom Ellis, deputy commissioner for the London Fire Bridgade (LFB), said: “The number of e-bike and e-scooter fires that we are attending in London is incredibly concerning.

“So far in 2023, we have been called out to roughly one fire involving these types of vehicles every couple of days.”

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Three men were treated by London Ambulance Service crews after suffering from smoke inhalation and another man was taken to hospital.

The LFB was called at 2.40am and the fire was under control by 4.56am, it said.

Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Ilford, Barking, Dagenham, Leytonstone, Plaistow and Romford fire stations attended.

The fire is believed to have been accidentally caused by the battery pack for a converted e-bike on charge, according to the LFB.

Mr Ellis said: “It is vital that you never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters.

“If there is a fire in your property, get out, stay out and call 999 immediately.

“As such, we have identified that fires involving lithium batteries are the fastest growing fire risk in the capital, which is why we launched our ChargeSafe campaign.”

The LFB’s ChargeSafe campaign aims to highlight fire risks associated with lithium batteries, commonly used with e-bikes and scooters.

Cheaper batteries purchased from online sources which don’t necessarily adhere to UK safety regulations are more likely to fail and present an increased fire risk, it said.

DIY installations can also lead to damage of the kit, increasing the chances of battery failure and the likelihood of a fire.

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, then a fire or explosion may result, the LFB added.