A fire brigade has revealed one of the biggest culprits for house fires and says that the UK capital is most at risk.
It’s reported that a survivor compared their blaze to a “grenade” going off.
And two people sadly lost their lives as a result of the devastating fires.
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The cause? E-bikes and e-scooters.
Last year, over 206 fires were attributed to the vehicles; the highest number to date, reports Need To Know.
The London Fire Brigade released these harrowing figures to highlight the ongoing issue before it gets any worse.
And they hope new regulations will be introduced as a result.
Since 2023, over five people have had their lives claimed due to these types of blazes – all of which allegedly didn’t own the e-bike themselves.
It’s believed that faulty or poorly built products – including lithium-iron batteries, conversion kits and chargers – which are commonly purchased online or secondhand, are to blame.
The boroughs most affected include Lewisham and Southwark with 16 incidents, Tower Hamlets at 15, Lambeth with 12 and Westminster at 11.
In comparison, only 16 fires involved e-bikes in Birmingham according to West Midlands Fire Service.
And in Manchester, over 100 were reported due to faulty lithium-ion batteries found in e-bikes and e-scooters.
In March 2025, Jahmell Campbell heard a bang and the partition wall of a bedroom collapsed inside his flat.
The escape route to his front door was blocked by the fire and he, along with his grandma and dad, had to jump out the window.
It’s believed the blaze was caused by failure of a lithium-iron battery inside an e-scooter.
Jahmell said: “I was staying with my grandma at the time of the fire.
“My dad lives there too.
“At the time of the fire, my dad and I were watching football on TV.
“I got up to go to the loo and it’s lucky I did because the next minute the whole of the wall blasted through the room.
“It was like a grenade had been thrown into the flat.
“I jumped out of the front first floor flat window to escape.
“My dad didn’t know where I was and could not hear me shouting to him.
“I tried to go back into the building and go up the stairs but I knew if I opened the door to the flat, the fire would come out – the door handle was so hot.
“My dad and my grandma escaped via the back of the property.
“My grandma jumped and my dad was injured too.
“My grandma was in hospital for a week.
“I am not sure how we all made it out of the house alive but thankfully everyone is fine now.”
Spencer Sutcliff, deputy commissioner for the London Fire Brigade, said: “Firefighters are currently attending an e-bike or e-scooter fire every other day, on average.
“Already in 2026, we have seen several fires involving lithium-iron batteries.
“These fires can be explosive and have devastating consequences.
“We’ve been calling for regulation to improve product safety and are thankful for the work already done by the Government to help tackle this issue.
“We hope this is done as soon as possible to reduce the number of customers being exposed to dangerous products available for purchase online and ultimately drive down the number of fires.
“We understand the importance of green and sustainable modes of transport and recognise the positive impact of e-bikes and e-scooters.
“However, poorly built, non-compliant or damaged lithium batteries in these products, as well as the use of mismatched batteries and chargers, present unique fire safety challenges.
“It is clear from the number of fires we’re seeing that not everyone is aware of the very real risks that exist.
“We need the continued support of the Government, partners and other relevant organisations to ensure the safety advice is reaching as many people as possible and that dangerous products are no longer readily available to purchase online.”
The Product Regulation and Metrology (PRAM) Act received Royal Assent in summer 2025.
It’s hoped the secondary legislation of the Act, which will establish strict standards on batteries and regulate conversion kits, will be brought forward as soon as possible.
The London Fire Brigade are using their #ChargeSafe campaign to help raise awareness of the risks involved with faulty or non-UK regulation compliant e-bikes and e-scooters across the capital.
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