Flat is destroyed by fire after e-bike battery overheated as it was being charged
- Firefighters were called to the residential blaze in Elswick, Newcastle on July 11
A flat has been decimated by a fire caused by an e-bike battery that overheated when it was on charge.
Firefighters were called to a residential blaze in Elswick, Newcastle, on July 11 after a lithium-ion battery on an e-bike caught fire after it was left on charge in a bedroom.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has now issued a stern warning to e-bike and scooter owners to be careful when charging the devices.
Shocking images from the blaze show the wall of the property absolutely destroyed and burnt with the plugs and carpet left singed in its aftermath.
The occupant of the property was not in at the time and the fire did not spread past the flat, causing no injuries.
A look at the damage caused by the e-bike battery which overheated and set on fire
The battery destroyed the flat after it was left on charge overnight
Graeme MacDonald, Station Manager of Newcastle Central Community Fire Station, said the force has seen a rise in incidents like these as he urges people not to leave e-scooters on charge.
‘In Tyne and Wear we have seen an increase in these types of fires and this incident shows how dangerous they can be,’ he explained.
‘Thankfully the occupant was not home and there could have been a different outcome if they had been present. Always ensure that you have working smoke alarms, and never leave batteries to charge while you are asleep or away from your home.
‘We would recommend that you are observant with the batteries and consider this checklist. Always look out for the battery getting overly hot, any leakage and unusual behaviour, the battery not holding a charge, and appearing to be warped.’
READ MORE: E-bike batteries can cause catastrophic house fires by exploding when charging overnight, charity warns
Earlier this month an inquest heard how a mother-of-four, 44, died after jumping from the third floor of her home following a fire sparked by an e-scooter battery.
Rebecca Downes died in hospital from her injuries after jumping out of the window to escape the fire which broke out at her home in Blackpool last year.
Electrical Safety First warned recently that electric bike batteries must be regulated like ‘fireworks’ after causing hundreds of catastrophic house fires across the UK.
The charity said they are dangerously prone to exploding while charging overnight – releasing the same energy as six hand grenades.
Fires sparked by faulty lithium-ion batteries are now occurring at the rate of at least six a week in the UK, and have so far injured an estimated 190 people and killed eight.
Often they are be caused by cheap e-bikes or e-scooters built with poor quality and substandard components sold by rogue sellers on internet marketplaces.
A report by the ESF calls on the government to crackdown on the practice by making it compulsory for all products require third-party approval before they enter the UK market.
The measures would bring e-bike and e-scooters in line with safety regulations for pyrotechnics and heavy machinery. Similar measures have already been introduced in New York City following a spate of fires.
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