A shocking fire caused by an e-bike battery meltdown left a woman with serious injuries after she jumped from a third-floor balcony in Lewisham. Firefighters raced to the scene and managed to rescue both the woman and a man, with the woman rushed to the hospital following her fall.
The fire broke out in the hallway of a third-floor flat around 11:14 AM. Fire crews from Deptford, Old Kent Road, Peckham, and Islington stations arrived quickly and doused the flames by 11:45 AM. The cause was a catastrophic failure of an e-bike battery left charging for roughly 12 hours in the hallway—right on the flat’s escape route.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Field, responsible for Prevention & Protection, warned about the dangers of charging e-bikes in escape routes. He said, “This incident highlights why you should always ensure your escape route is clear and never charge your e-bike or e-scooter in hallways or by your front door. Smoke alarms saved lives by alerting occupants early, but the woman was trapped and forced to leap three storeys from her balcony, sustaining serious injuries. We wish her a full recovery.”
He added, “London averages a fire involving an e-bike or e-scooter every other day. Last year saw a record number of such fires. We urge owners to follow our #ChargeSafe advice for their safety.”
To help prevent e-bike fires, the following tips are recommended:
- Buy batteries from reputable sellers only.
- Avoid second-hand or unregulated chargers that don’t meet UK safety standards.
- Match your charger to your battery—mismatches increase fire risk.
- Never overcharge or leave charging unattended, especially overnight.
- Have a professional convert pushbikes into e-bikes.
- Keep escape routes clear at all times.
Full advice on the safe use, buying, and charging of e-bikes and e-scooters is available online.
Originally published by UKNIP.
