A house fire in Bromley on September 11, 2025, caused by the battery of a converted e-bike left charging overnight and into the day, led to a woman and a teenager being rushed to hospital. The blaze, which engulfed part of a mid-terraced home on Rangefield Road, prompted a large emergency response involving 25 firefighters from Bromley, Beckenham, and Lewisham fire stations. They worked diligently to bring the fire under control by midday, containing the flames through an open window to minimise further damage. Station Commander Stuart West emphasised the incident as a stark reminder to follow safety advice when using e-bikes and e-scooters, noting that fortunately the occupants were alerted in time to escape safely.

This fire is part of a growing pattern of incidents related to lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters, which London Fire Brigade identifies as one of the fastest-rising fire risks in the city. Since early 2023, there has been a fire involving these devices roughly every other day. The risks are particularly significant when batteries are improperly charged, overcharged, or left unattended. For instance, another serious fire in Bromley back in June 2025, involving a lithium battery failure on an e-bike, caused extensive damage to an end-of-terraced house and required emergency medical treatments for smoke inhalation in two women, and hospitalisation of a child.

London Fire Brigade has repeatedly issued warnings about the dangers of charging and storing e-bikes and e-scooters unsafely. Key precautions include not charging or storing these vehicles in escape routes such as hallways, which, in past cases, have forced occupants to either jump from windows or be rescued by firefighters due to blocked exits from fire or smoke. The Brigade also advises using the correct charger, avoiding overcharging, and never leaving devices charging unattended or while sleeping. Modifying pushbikes into e-bikes should be done professionally to reduce fire risks, as improper conversions with substandard or second-hand batteries and chargers increase the chance of battery failure.

The urgency of these warnings was underscored by a high-profile case in September 2023, where a man in Highgate was severely hurt when an e-bike battery caught fire while charging in a bedroom. Attempts to extinguish the blaze himself resulted in life-changing burns before firefighters arrived to put out the fire safely. Similarly, during the 2023 Easter holiday, two separate fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters in Dalston and Streatham led to rescues after the fires blocked exit routes.

London Assembly members and fire safety experts continue to highlight the dangers embedded in do-it-yourself (DIY) conversions and non-compliant batteries, urging users to ensure that e-bikes and e-scooters meet UK safety standards. The rapid spread and intensity of lithium-ion battery fires mean that what starts as a small battery failure can engulf a room within seconds, posing severe risks not only to property but to lives.

These cumulative incidents and expert advisories collectively paint a clear picture: while e-bikes and e-scooters offer convenient and eco-friendly transport alternatives, their lithium batteries require careful handling to prevent potentially catastrophic fires. Following official safety guidelines on charging, storage, and device maintenance remains essential to protecting residents and emergency responders alike.

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Source: Noah Wire Services