Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters were called to a house fire on Derby Hill in Forest Hill.
Part of the ground floor of a two-storey, semi-detached house was damaged by fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire is believed to have been caused by the failure of a lithium battery.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Batteries can present a fire risk if they’re overcharged, short circuited, submerged in water or damaged, so it’s really important to protect them against being damaged and charge them safely.
The Brigade was called at 1554 and the fire was under control by 1702. Fire crews from West Norwood, Beckenham and Lewisham fire stations attended the scene.
Firefighter safety tips for charging your devices
- 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.
- Don't overload your sockets – learn more about how much is too much on the fuses and power load page.
