House fire - Plumstead

Firefighters have issued a reminder to charge electrical items carefully following a fire at a house on Pattison Walk in Plumstead.

Part of the first floor of a terraced house was damaged by fire. One man and three children left the building before the Brigade arrived and were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service crews.

The fire was discovered by the residents who heard a bang and discovered the fire in a bedroom, involving a battery-powered scooter.

The Brigade’s Fire Investigator’s believe the fire was caused by the failure of a lithium-ion battery within an electric scooter that was on charge.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Batteries can present a fire risk if they’re over-charged, short circuited, submerged in water or damaged, so it’s really important to protect them against being damaged and charge them safely.

“Don’t leave items continuously on charge after the charge cycle is complete and make sure you use the right charger for your device.”

Firefighters' tips for charging your devices

• Always use the charger that came with your electrical item
• 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.
• When you travel, avoid keeping all your items containing lithium ion batteries together, especially on a plane. Check with your flight carrier for additional information or advice.
• Don't overload your sockets – learn more about how much is too much on the fuses and power load page.

The Brigade was called at 2250 and the fire was under control by 0021. Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters from Plumstead Fire Station attended the scene.