A battery left on charge is believed to have been the cause of a blaze at a garage behind a house in Bexley.
Part of the detached building in Howard Avenue was damaged by the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
The Brigade was called at 1545 and the fire was under control at 1652. Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Sidcup, Bexley and Greenwich fire stations attended the scene.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Lithium-ions batteries are found in many electrical devices such as tablets and phones. It’s really important to charge them properly to avoid the risk of fire and there are some simple steps that you can follow.”
Firefighter safety tips for charging your device
- Always use the charger that came with your phone, tablet, e-cigarette or mobile device.
- If you need to buy a replacement, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. There are lots of fakes out there, and it can be difficult to spot the difference.
- Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures.
- Protect batteries against being damaged – that's crushed, punctured or immersed in water.
- Don’t leave items continuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete – it's best not to leave your phone plugged in overnight for example.
- Never cover chargers or charging devices – that includes using your laptop power lead in bed.
