E-bike and E-scooter batteries causing a fire every two days in London, warns The London Fire Brigade
Up to 116 incidents involving Lithium batteries were reported last year
E-bike or e-scooter batteries cause on average a fire every two days in London, according to recent findings released by The London Fire Brigade (LFB).
Having attended 87 e-bike and 29 e-scooter fires last year, totalling 116 incidents, the emergency service said that lithium batteries have become the fastest growing fire risk across the capital city.
The LFB says these batteries can lead quickly to a ferocious fire that “spreads out of control in minutes”, and that charging them in communal areas or escape routes can quickly block people's ability to escape.
In light of its recent report, the LFB recommends charging batteries safely, spotting the warning signs of a dangerous battery, and having your bicycle converted to an e-bike by a professional.
It comes as Transport for London (TfL) banned e-scooters from London's transport network in 2021 due to a number of fires involving these vehicles.
The ban means that residents are unable to take their electric personal vehicles on any TfL service.
In a bid to prevent potentially life-threatening fires and to better protect everyone, the LFB is urging residents to take these risks seriously and follow safety guidelines when using e-bikes and e-scooters.
Not all personal electric vehicles, such as e-scooters and e-unicycles, are currently road legal in the UK, and people can be fined by the police for using them on the road. This is looking likely to change however with new legislation.