Why are modified e-bikes causing house fires?
An e-bike battery starts a fire in a London kitchen
There has been a rise in the number of fires in London caused by e-bikes that have been modified using parts bought online.
The fire service says e-bikes are becoming one of the capital’s fastest-growing fire risks with more than 130 fires in London up to the end of September – more than three a week.
Last year there were three deaths and 60 injuries from e-bike fires and London Fire Brigade (LFB) attended 143 e-bike fires plus 36 involving e-scooters.
So what are the risks, what should you watch out for and how can you protect yourself and your property? What causes e-bikes to catch fire?
LFB says many of these fires are caused by incompatible chargers, modifications to e-bikes, or faulty or counterfeit products which are purchased online.This includes chargers, lithium batteries and conversion kits for e-bikes."E-bikes and e-scooters can pose a significant fire risk and particularly the batteries used to power them have become one of London’s fastest-growing fire risks," says LFB deputy commissioner Charlie Pugsley."They have destroyed homes, and families have sadly lost loved ones in these fires. Many of the fires we’ve attended have involved secondhand vehicles or bikes that have been modified using parts bought online."E-bikes and e-scooters are powered by lithium batteries, which store a significant amount of energy in a very small space and are much more powerful compared with other types of batteries.If that energy is released […]
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