The warning comes after three severe e-bike fires gutted homes in separate parts of London in just one week

London Fire Brigade (LFB) is once again highlighting its #ChargeSafe campaign as the number of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London continues to increase, with 2025 on course to have the highest yet. There has been an average of 18 e-bike or e-scooter fires a month to date this year, and there have also been four fatalities related to these fires in London since 2023.

Commenting on this problem, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection, Richard Field said: “E-bikes and e-scooters are a green and sustainable way to travel around our city. However, they can pose a significant fire risk, if not properly cared for, this is particularly true for the batteries used to power them which have become one of London's fastest-growing fire risks."

LFB were called out to the first of three incidents when a fire broke out at a semi-detached house in Mitcham on Friday 17 October. Two women and four men escaped without injury, but the house, as well as a car parked outside, were destroyed by the blaze.

The following day, a fire started on the third floor of a block of flats in Bethnal Green, that swiftly spread to flats on the fourth and fifth floors. Four people and a dog were rescued from the building by firefighters, with one rescued via ladder, another carried down by firefighters, and two rescued using fire escape hoods. One woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service for smoke inhalation. The flat was left uninhabitable as a result of the fire.

Investigators subsequently found two different lithium-ion batteries with one charger and an e-bike in the flat where the fire started.

The third fire occurred at a ground floor flat in Walthamstow on Tuesday 21 October where the owner had bought a converted e-bike from an online marketplace a month ago. An LFB spokesperson explained that “the battery of a converted e-bike was charging overnight. When it failed, it resulted in an intense fire.  

“Fortunately, the occupant heard popping noises and saw the fire in the living room where the battery was charging and was able to leave the property.”

The resulting fire gutted the flat.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Field went on to explain: “It cannot be underestimated the level of destruction each of these fires have caused with three homes completely damaged by fire and smoke. It’s extremely fortunate that no one has been seriously hurt.  

“In all three cases, these fires were caused by catastrophic battery failures. When these batteries fail, they can cause ferocious fires, and the consequences can be devastating. We urge people who own these devices to follow the safety advice that will help to protect those around them and their properties. 

“We want to urgently remind e-bike owners that using mismatched batteries and chargers, especially incompatible or counterfeit ones, can cause serious fires such as the one in Bethnal Green. If the wrong charger is used it can lead to the battery overheating, failing, and starting a fire in seconds.  

“We recommend devices are never left charging unattended. At the Walthamstow fire, the owner was on hand to react when the charging battery burst into flames. If the fire had happened when the occupants were asleep it could have been a very different story.”  

You can access LFB’s #ChargeSafe advice on how to safely buy, charge, and store e-bikes and e-scooters here.