Hackney: Shed destroyed in e-bike battery fire

Smoke from the shed fire set off the building's smoke alarms, leading to an evacuation

A shed was destroyed during an e-bike battery fire in north London during the early hours of Monday morning.

Three fire engines and 15 firefighters were called to a ground floor flat on Halcomb Street, Hackney just after 00:00 BST.

About 20 people were evacuated from the flats after smoke from the shed activated the building's alarms.

Investigators believe that the fire was caused by a failure of an e-bike's lithium battery, which was on charge.

It was brought under control by 00:31 BST and no injuries were reported, the London Fire Brigade said.

Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Charlie Pugsley urged people to buy e-bike chargers from reputable sellers.

"We have particular concerns where batteries have been purchased from online marketplaces and when they've been sourced on the internet, which may not meet the correct safety standards," he said.

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