The e-bike was being charged when it caught alight at a flat in New Orleans Walk

The aftermath of the e-bike fire in New Orleans Walk (credit LFB)

A man has suffered “life-changing” injuries after he tried to tackle an e-bike fire in Crouch End.

The blaze inside a flat in New Orleans Walk last Tuesday (12th) was sparked by an e-bike catching alight inside a bedroom. Its owner tried to put the fire out with an extinguisher but sustained burns to several parts of his body as a result before firefighters attended and safely put out the blaze.

London Fire Brigade’s deputy commissioner Dom Ellis said: “We strongly recommend calling us immediately if there is a fire, but particularly if it involves your e-bike or e-scooter.

“Fires involving lithium batteries, which power these vehicles, can be ferocious, producing jets of flame. The blaze is also hot enough to melt through metal. This type of fire produces a highly flammable, explosive and toxic vapour cloud which should never be inhaled. The fire can also be extremely challenging to put out.

“This incident, and the severe injuries sustained by this e-bike owner, highlights why you should never tackle a lithium battery fire. Our advice is to get out and call 999.”

The brigade’s investigation into this fire found the e-bike was on charge when it caught alight and that the charger had been purchased from an online marketplace just a day earlier. LFB has warned it is that the correct charger should always be used and to buy it from a reputable seller, otherwise the risk of fire is much greater.

The fire is the latest in a series of e-bike and e-scooter fires in September. E-bike and e-scooter fires are London’s fastest growing fire trend. There have been at least 137 of these fires this year, of which at least 115 have involved an e-bike. Sadly, three people have died and more than 50 people have been injured.

This comes after the LFB’s recent warning that there have already been more e-bike and e-scooter battery fires in 2023 than during the whole of 2022. The brigade has been running its #ChargeSafe campaign, which aims to highlight the fire risks associated with lithium batteries commonly used with e-bikes and e-scooters.

LFB’s #ChargeSafe advice:

Never block an escape route with an e-bike or e-scooter
Never charge the vehicle unattended or while you are asleep
Never tamper or modify the battery
Always get a professional to carry out a conversion

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