Fire at flat - Southwark

Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters were called to a fire at a flat on Flint Street in Southwark.

A flat on the ground floor of a three-storey block was damaged by the fire. One man, one woman and three children left the property before the Brigade arrived. They were all taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation by London Ambulance Service crews. A further 15 people left the building before the Brigade arrived.

The Brigade was called at 0841 and the fire was under control by 0934. Fire crews from Old Kent Road and Dockhead fire stations were at the scene.

The Brigade's fire investigators believe the fire was accidental and caused by the failure of one of the Lithium-ion battery cells in an electric scooter that was on charge.

Firefighters' tips for charging your devices

• Always make sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark before you buy them.
• Always use the charger that came with your electrical item
• If you need to buy a replacement charger or battery, 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.
• Protect batteries against being damaged – that's crushed, exposed to extremes of temperature, punctured or immersed in water.
• Never cover your charger or the item you’re charging – chargers give off a small amount of heat which may build up if they are covered.
• Don't overload your sockets – learn more about how much is too much on our fuses and power load page.