Man falls from roof as explosion destroys family home days before Christmas
Three people were taken to hospital after a fire caused by an e-bike battery explosion tore through a family’s home just days before Christmas.
Eight fire engines and about 60 firefighters battled the blaze in Renshaw Close, Catford, at around 7.30am on Saturday.
Three people were inside the house when the e-bike battery burst into flames on the first floor.
One man was able to escape unharmed through the front door, but two others, who were in the loft, found their exit blocked by fire.
With the room becoming consumed by smoke, they were forced to climb through a skylight window onto the pitched roof, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.
One man fell from the roof, and was discovered by firefighters in the garden upon arrival. He sustained serious injuries, though they are not currently life-changing.
A woman was rescued by firefighters using a nine-metre ladder. She was later treated for smoke inhalation.
Footage from a doorbell camera at a neighbour’s home shows the property engulfed in fire, with several bangs and small explosions heard.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Field said: “This was a devastating fire that has destroyed most of a family home.
“It’s fortunate that no lives have been lost, given how quickly the blaze took hold, and the fact that two people ended up being trapped by the fire.
“I’d like to commend the actions of the firefighter whose quick-thinking stopped the woman from falling off the roof to the ground.”
In the past year there have been 160 e-bike and e-scooter fires in the capital, according to the LFB.
Mr Field said: “We know this bike had been converted from a normal pedal cycle by having a lithium-ion battery pack fitted to it and was on charge at the time of the fire.
“The bike had been purchased second-hand from an online marketplace and we also know that the charger being used was generic and not specific to the battery pack.”
E-bikes are one of London’s fastest-growing fire risks, with a fire on average once every other day.
Mr Field said: “We always recommend purchasing items from a reputable high-street seller where, at this time, a product is more likely to meet safety standards.
“If you’re planning on buying an e-bike or e-scooter for yourself or a loved one for Christmas and you see an offer online that seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Pictured top: The first floor and loft conversion of the house was destroyed by fire (Picture: LFB)