Firefighters are issuing another e-bike safety warning after a flat fire on Copenhagen Place in Limehouse.
Most of a three roomed flat on the ground floor was destroyed by fire. Four men left the property before the Brigade arrived and were assessed on scene by London Ambulance Service. They took one man suffering from smoke inhalation to hospital.
Six calls were made to the Brigade's 999 Control centre alerting them to the fire. The first call was made by a resident who was awoken by the fire. The fire took hold so quickly that the smoke alarms in the property didn't activate.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by a fault in an e-bike lithium-ion battery.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “It’s incredibly concerning we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters.
“When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.
“Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-scooters which have been converted.
"We are predominantly seeing fires where batteries have been purchased from online marketplaces and when they've been sourced on the internet, which may not meet the correct safety standards.
“Our advice is to store and charge these items in a safe location if possible, such as in a shed or a garage, and if they have to be stored inside, make sure there is smoke detection fitted and your means of escape is not obstructed.
“However, we know this won’t be possible for everyone, so if you are charging them indoors, please follow our advice on safe charging and ensure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire.
“We would also suggest people try not to charge them when they are asleep, so that if there is an issue they can react quickly.”
The Brigade was called at 0515 and the fire was under control at 0615. Fire crews from Poplar, Millwall, Shadwell and Whitechapel fire stations were in attendance.