Converted e-bike catches fire as man rides it

The man was left unharmed after the incident late on Friday afternoon

A push bike that had been converted into an e-bike caught fire as a man was riding it and exploded shortly after, firefighters said.

The man was travelling on Woden Avenue in Stanway, near Colchester, at about 17:00 BST on Friday when he noticed smoke.

He pulled over and got off the bike as it burst into flames. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said he was not hurt.

By the time crews arrived one of its battery cells had already exploded and had "launched itself" more than 20m away (66ft).

The blaze was put out with water, "something which is not always possible when dealing with lithium ion batteries", the service said.

Sunil Galvin, crew manager at Colchester Fire Station, said: "It's concerning to think these conversion kits, where people can turn their push bikes into electric bikes, are being sold on online marketplaces without any regulation."

He said it was important electrical items were made by a reputable retailer.

E-bikes and e-scooters remain the capital's fastest growing fire risk, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said.

LFB said there was a 78% increase in the number of e-bike fires in 2023 compared with 2022, with 155 e-bike fires and 28 e-scooter fires recorded last year.

"Make sure you only charge these items when you're awake and at home and keep them out of the way of escape routes," Mr Galvin added.