A man had to be rescued from a flat fire above a shop on Sunday, believed to have been caused by an e-bike on charge.
Firefighters used a nine-metre ladder to rescue a man from a second-floor window and said a further four people left the property on Deptford High Street before the Brigade arrived on Sunday morning, March 12.
Thankfully there were no reports of any injuries.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The fire was discovered by a resident who heard loud popping noises and saw their e-bike alight in the kitchen.
“It’s incredibly concerning we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters.
“When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.
“Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes which have been converted.
“We are predominantly seeing fires where batteries have been purchased from online marketplaces and when they’ve been sourced on the internet, which may not meet the correct safety standards.”
Firefighters removed one gas cylinder was from the building and cooled to an ambient temperature as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat, but believe the fire was caused by a fault with an e-bike that was on charge.
Fire crews from Deptford, Greenwich, New Cross and surrounding fire stations attended the scene at 6.15am. The blaze was under control an hour later a 7.19am.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson advised that e-bikes should be stored and charged in a safe a location as possible, ideally a garage or shed, but said “if they have to be stored inside, make sure there is smoke detection fitted and your means of escape is not obstructed.
“However, we know this won’t be possible for everyone, so if you are charging them indoors, please follow our advice on safe charging and ensure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire.
“We would also suggest people try not to charge them when they are asleep, so that if there is an issue they can react quickly.”