E-bike and e-scooter fires at record high in London

LFB took this image of the remains of an e-bike which caught fire in Shepherd's Bush

There have already been more e-bike and e-scooter fires in the capital in 2023 than in the whole of any previous year, London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said.

By the end of August, LFB crews had fought 123 such fires, compared with 116 in 2022 and 78 in 2021.

Three people have died this year in fires thought to have been caused by a failure of a device's lithium battery.

LFB wants regulation on the sale of the products and research into the causes of the fires associated with them.

Sofia Duarte died after her e-bike caught fire in her Southwark home in January. She could not escape as the bike blocked her exit

One of the three London fatal fire victims was Mizanur Rahman, who died in an e-bike blaze in Shadwell, east London, in March.

• Mother calls for e-bike rules after daughter's death

According to LFB, the coroner at his inquest this week called for further safety standards to be introduced.

It said that Adam Smith, assistant coroner for Inner North London, had written to the Office for Product Standards and Safety asking for regulation.

About 50 people have been injured so far this year in e-bike or e-scooter fires.

The blazes are often caused by the failure of a lithium battery, which can start fires very quickly. Many of the devices that catch light are being charged at the time.

LFB said the fires were often due to batteries not meeting UK safety standards.

Deputy commissioner Dom Ellis said the brigade was dealing with an e-bike or e-scooter fire roughly every other day.

"We recognise the environmental benefits they bring to travel in our city, but the stark reality is that some of these vehicles are proving to be incredibly dangerous, particularly if they have been modified with second-hand products or if batteries are used with the wrong chargers," he said. 

LFB is urging people to buy e-bikes and batteries from reputable sellers and to ensure they are using the correct charger.

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