The warning London Fire Brigade wants every e-bike rider to hear

E-bike and e-scooter fires reach record high in London

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has reported a record rise in e-bike and e-scooter fires in 2025.

According to the Brigade, 165 incidents were recorded between January and September, marking a 28% increase on the same period last year.

Of these, 134 involved e-bikes.

If this rate continues for the remainder of the year, London is expected to surpass 200 e-bike and e-scooter fires in a single year for the first time.

The Brigade described the growing number of fires as an urgent safety concern for the capital.

Fatal e-bike fire in Wood Green among recent incidents

In June, a 30-year-old woman died following a fire caused by an e-bike battery failure at a bedsit on Lordship Lane, Wood Green.

The victim, identified as Eden Abera Siem, was rescued from the property by firefighters and later died in hospital.

LFB’s Fire Investigation Team found that the blaze most probably originated from a charging lithium-ion battery pack for an e-bike.

It was the fourth fatal e-bike fire recorded in London and the first since 2023.

In all four cases, the person who died did not own or use the e-bike involved.

Multiple severe e-bike fires reported across the capital

The Brigade said several other serious e-bike and e-scooter fires had occurred in recent months.

In Putney High Street, a man suffered severe burns on Monday 22 September after a converted e-bike battery caught fire while charging.

Four days earlier, a woman in Downham sustained serious injuries after jumping from a first-floor window to escape a fire caused by a charging e-bike battery.

In August, another lithium-ion battery fire in a flat in Lewisham left one woman hospitalised with life-threatening injuries, though she later recovered.

In June, around 80 firefighters attended a large blaze at a block of flats in North Kensington.

Nine people were rescued from the building, where investigators concluded that a trike-style scooter battery had failed.

Unsafe products linked to rise in battery failures

According to LFB, many of the fires have been linked to second-hand or non-compliant batteries and chargers bought from online marketplaces.

The Brigade said that poorly built, fake or damaged batteries are at particular risk of failure when charged.

It added that batteries or chargers sold online are not always subject to the same regulatory checks as those sold through high-street retailers.

The Brigade has repeatedly urged the public to avoid using non-approved e-bike conversion kits and to follow safety advice when charging.

#ChargeSafe campaign calls for wider support

Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection Pamela Oparaocha said: “We continue to see the devastating consequences of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Eden as well as all those who have been impacted by fires in recent years.

“Fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters are worryingly common in London.

“Since the beginning of 2023, we have attended a fire, on average, every other day, and some of these fires have destroyed homes and claimed lives.

“We launched our #ChargeSafe campaign in 2023 to highlight the fire risks with e-bikes and e-scooters; however the rising number of incidents we attend clearly demonstrate the urgent need for further awareness to help protect lives and avoid future tragedies.”

Brigade seeks action from gig economy companies

The Brigade said it plans to write to companies including Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo to encourage them to share e-bike safety advice with riders.

It noted that gig economy workers are among those at higher risk, particularly those living in shared accommodation where charging often takes place indoors.

Oparaocha said: “Everything possible must be done to help people understand the risks we know exist and the steps they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.

“We’ve been pleased to work with organisations such as London Trading Standards and Deliveroo to share advice directly to e-bike riders.

“But these events have demonstrated the dangers people are exposing themselves and others to when it comes to their e-bikes in particular.”

Government regulation welcomed amid safety concerns

Oparaocha added: “Consumers should be protected from being exposed to dangerous, faulty or poorly-built products.

“As part of our #ChargeSafe campaign, we called on the Government to introduce much-needed regulation for online marketplaces.

“We are pleased that the Product Regulation & Metrology Act has been granted Royal Assent and have advised the Government on how they could strengthen the legislation, so that it better regulates unsafe and particularly poor quality or non-compliant lithium battery products being sold on online marketplaces.

“We look forward to working closely with the Government as the regulation develops to ensure it is robust in protecting people from unsafe products and the unique fire risks they present.”

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The rise in e-bike and e-scooter fires in London highlights the need for fire investigation and prevention teams to remain alert to lithium-ion battery hazards.

For building safety officers and property managers, the frequency of domestic charging fires reinforces the importance of clear tenancy guidance on battery storage and charging practices.

Electrical engineers and risk assessors can draw on LFB’s findings to inform inspection standards and identify non-compliant battery systems.

Procurement and compliance teams working with delivery or fleet operators may also need to review supplier verification processes for chargers, batteries and conversion kits purchased through online platforms.