The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has issued another reminder about e-bike and e-scooter safety after a fire at a first-floor flat in Hither Green blew through an internal wall
Fire crews were called to the incident on Castillon Road just after 10.20pm on 5 March 2025. Three fire appliances and 15 firefighters from Lee Green, Lewisham, and Forest Hill fire stations attended the scene.
Two men and a woman jumped from a first floor flat prior to the brigade’s arrival. As reported by London News Online, the woman was taken to the hospital by the London Ambulance Service due to smoke inhalation and a suspected broken leg, and the two men were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.
Firefighters confirmed that most of the flat had been damaged in the blaze, with the fire blowing through an internal wall to the next bedroom and taking off the bedroom’s door. LFB added that the window in the room where the fire started also blew out.
With the fire believed to have been caused by the failure of lithium batteries in an e-scooter, Station Commander Paul Meyrick said: "This fire is yet another example of why we are so concerned about e-bikes and e-scooters and why we’re running our #ChargeSafe campaign to raise awareness of the fire risks associated with these vehicles."
Commenting on the incident, he added: “It was a really visible fire with flames coming out of the window. The Brigade's 999 Control officers received 12 calls alerting them to the blaze.
“The fire happened in a room near the entrance to the flat leaving the occupants unable to escape. It highlights the importance of never blocking an escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. Store them somewhere well away from a main through route. Our advice is to store these items in a safe location if possible, such as a garage or a shed. If this is not possible, make sure the device is in a room where you can shut a door and contain a fire."
In 2024, LFB recorded 142 fires involving e-bikes and 29 e-scooters. Following this latest incident, the brigade has issued safety tips for users of e-bikes and e-scooters to follow, including never blocking escape routes, using the correct charger, not modifying or tampering with the battery, avoiding using DIY conversion kits bought online, and more.
More information on how to use e-bikes and e-scooters safely can be found here.
(Photograph by the London Fire Brigade)