A woman was forced to leap from a first-floor window after two charging e-bikes burst into flames, blocking the only escape route from her flat in northwest London. Firefighters rushed to Brondesbury Park in Brent shortly before 5am on Wednesday after the bikes’ lithium batteries ignited inside a detached house that had been converted into flats. The blaze quickly obstructed the main door, leaving windows as the sole means of escape. The woman jumped from a front window to safety, while three other residents managed to flee by climbing onto a flat roof at the rear of the first-floor property.
The fire was deemed accidental and is believed to have been caused by a battery failure in an e-bike that was charging at the time, with a second bike also catching fire. A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “The fire blocked the residents’ main escape route, preventing them from exiting the flat. As a result, they were forced to evacuate the building through bedroom windows. This incident highlights why you should always ensure your escape route is clear and why we recommend never storing an e-bike or e-scooter on your means of escape, such as a hallway or by your front door. We’ve seen the devastating consequences of what can happen when an exit is blocked by an e-scooter fire. Instead, keep it in a room where you can shut a door, contain the fire and call 999.”
“A woman leapt from a first-floor window after two charging e-bikes burst into flames, blocking the only escape route.”
The brigade stressed the importance of working smoke alarms and heat detection, noting that smoke alarms give the earliest possible warning when a fire starts. They urged residents to fit alarms in every room where a fire could start, except kitchens or bathrooms, where heat alarms are more appropriate. In London, the brigade said it has been attending a fire involving an e-bike or e-scooter on average every other day. Last year saw a record number of such fires – 206 – prompting a fresh warning for owners to follow the #ChargeSafe advice to help keep themselves and those around them safe.