Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a fire at a hotel in Kensington.
Part of a corridor in the hotel was damaged by fire. Around 80 people left the hotel before firefighters arrived. There were no reports of any injuries.
The fire is believed to have been caused by the failure of an e-bike battery.
At the fire, a man inside a hotel room heard the battery pack making a hissing noise and when he touched it, felt that it was unusually hot. Picking up the battery, he then placed the battery down on the ground just outside his room. Around 20 minutes later, the battery caught alight, quickly filling the corridor with smoke. He was seen trying to smother the fire but was unable to do so, due to the intensity of the fire.
Assistant Commissioner Pugsley added: “This was a lucky escape for the occupant who inadvertently compromised his own escape route as well as others by placing it where he did in the corridor. If a battery is showing signs of failing, such as if it’s too hot, leave it alone and raise the alarm. In this case, the occupant picked the battery up before later trying to put out the fire using extinguishers. You should never try and tackle a lithium battery fire. Instead get away and call 999.”
The battery involved was a UPP model. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) recently announced it is taking enforcement action against the manufacturer of the UPP battery after its products were linked to a number of fires in the UK.
Five online marketplaces have been issued with Withdrawal Notices, which require them to stop supplying the UPP battery. The Withdrawal Notice has also been issued to 20 sellers directly and the China-based manufacturer.
The Brigade was called at 1617 and the fire was extinguished by 1712. Crews from Kensington, Chelsea, Fulham and Battersea fire stations attended the scene.