Safety warning after spate of battery fires

The damage after a fire in a house in Soham where a games console controller and a portable power bank were being charged

Batteries left on charge which then overheat have sparked six house fires in a county so far this year, a fire service has warned.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the electrical devices involved included e-scooters, e-bikes, power tools, a games console and a portable power bank.

In the most recent incident on Tuesday, a battery from a DIY home conversion e-bike kit exploded at a house in Wisbech, starting a large fire and leaving one resident with burns.

"These incidents highlight the potential risks that lithium-ion batteries can pose and how it is vital for people to be alert when charging any kind of device," said station commander Gareth Boyd.

He urged people to use charging packs provided by manufacturers, not cheaper replacements that might not work safely and could lead to "explosions and rapidly intense fires".

In 2024, crews were called to a blaze in Werrington when an e-scooter battery caught fire

Other incidents in the county have included a fire on the ground floor of a house in the Chesterton area of Cambridge.

An e-scooter and several power tools had been on charge in the living room and one battery had exploded.

In March, there was a fire in the kitchen of a house in Soham, where a games console controller and a portable power bank were being charged.

Just days later, crews went to Orton Malborne in Peterborough, where there was a fire involving a battery used in a DIY home conversion e-bike kit, bought in an online marketplace.

One resident's burns needed hospital treatment.

Firefighters in the county have put out 33 battery-related blazes since January 2023.

Safety tips include making sure replacement batteries and chargers are the right voltage and are fully compatible, and charging devices while you are awake, not during the night.

The fire service's Take Charge and Be Safe page has more advice.