Three women hospitalised from suspected e-bike blaze
Firefighters are issuing another warning to Londoners about e-bikes and e-scooters after a flat fire led to three women being taken to hospital.
The blaze, in North End Road, West Kensington yesterday at around 4.45pm saw part of a ground-floor flat damaged.
Three women left the building before the London Fire Brigade arrived. They were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.
Firefighters removed one gas cylinder as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by a converted e-bike that was being charged at the time of the fire.
The fire comes as the brigade continues its #ChargeSafe campaign, which aims to highlight the fire risks associated with lithium batteries, which are commonly used with e-bikes and scooters.
According to data collected by the London Fire Brigade, most people injured in fires related to e-bikes and e-scooters are in their 20s, and often the fires are in homes where multiple adults are living together without children.
The riskiest time for e-bike and e-scooter fires to take place are when charging lithium batteries. This is the time that batteries are most likely to fail.
A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said: “Lithium batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes which have been converted.
“Conversion kits allow people to add an electric motor to their bikes but not all of them are sold with a battery.
“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. 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. If there is overheating, crushing, penetrating or overcharging, then a fault can occur within damaged battery cells which may cause the battery to catch fire or explode.”
Pictured top: The ground-floor flat damaged by fire in North End Road (Picture: LFB)
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