Three jump from building to escape blaze in flat caused by e-scooter
Three people jumped from a building last night to escape a fire raging through a first-floor flat.
The fire broke out in a room near the entrance to the property in Castillon Road, Hither Green, leaving the occupants unable to escape.
Two men and a woman jumped from the first floor flat before firefighters arrived at the scene.
The woman, suffering from a suspected broken leg and smoke inhalation, was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
The two men were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Three fire engines and around 15 firefighters tackled the blaze, which was caused by the failure of lithium batteries in an e-scooter.
Station Commander Paul Meyrick, who was at the scene, said: “It was a really visible fire with flames coming out of the window. London Fire Brigade (LFB) officers received 12 calls alerting them.”
Most of the flat was damaged in the fire, which blew through an internal wall to the next bedroom, taking off the bedroom’s door. The window in the room where the fire started also blew out, the LFB said.
Firefighters were first called to the scene at around 10.25pm. Crews from Lee Green, Lewisham and Forest Hill fire stations brought the blaze under control by around half past midnight this morning.
SC Meyrick said: “This fire is yet another example of why we are so concerned about e-bikes and e-scooters and why we’re running our #ChargeSafe campaign to raise awareness of the fire risks associated with these vehicles.
“It highlights the importance of never blocking an escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. Store them somewhere well away from a main through route.
“Our advice is to store these items in a safe location if possible, such as a garage or a shed. If this is not possible, make sure the device is in a room where you can shut a door and contain a fire.”
In 2024, the LFB recorded 142 fires involving e-bikes along with 29 e-scooters. This means that on average, there was an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every other day.
Three people have died in fires caused by e-bike battery failures in London since 2023, and more than 100 people have been hurt, according to LFB figures.
Lithium batteries that power e-bikes and e-scooters store a huge amount of energy in a very small space. If that energy is released in an uncontrolled way, this can result in a fire or explosion.
The LFB said most of these fires include batteries which have been purchased online, which means they may not meet the correct safety standards.
Lithium batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes and e-scooters which have been converted.
Pictured top: The window in the first floor flat in Castillon Road, Hither Green, where the fire started was blown out (Picture: LFB)