Block Near Grenfell Tower Catches Fire


e-scooter cause of blaze which broke out on 12th floor of building opposite Westfield


The fire emerging from a window. Picture: London Fire Brigade


London Fire Brigade has warned about the dangers of leaving e-scooters on charge following a fire in a block of flats near Grenfell Tower.

A flat on the 12th floor of the flat on Queensdale Crescent in Shepherd’s Bush started on the morning on Tuesday 21 June at 9.23am.

60 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze deploying a 32 metre turntable to reach the scene. It took just over an hour to deal with the incident. A new technology called 9Eye was used that enabled a caller to send live stream videos of the incident straight into the Brigade’s 999 call centre.

Two people were assessed at the scene by paramedics and another was treated and taken to hospital.

The Brigade’s fire investigators have determined the blaze was accidental and caused by the failure of an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery.

London’s firefighters have seen a huge spike in e-bike and e-scooter incidents as they have become more popular in recent years and have issued several warnings about how ferocious the fires can be.

Just this year, crews have already attended 32 fires involving e-bikes and another seven involving e-scooters. So far in 2022, there have been a further 17 fires involving other lithium-ion batteries and last year, in total there were more than 100 fires in the capital involving lithium-ion batteries.


The aftermath of the fire in the flat on Queensdale Crescent. Picture: London Fire Brigade

The Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, Charlie Pugsley, said, “It’s incredibly concerning that we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes.

“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.

“These items are often stored in communal areas and corridors and can block people’s only means of escape.

“Another issue with fires involving lithium-ion batteries and which we saw at yesterday’s fire is that when they fail, they eject their contents over a wide area which can lead to multiple areas of burning in the room where the fire has started.”

The Brigade’s advice is to never store e-bikes or e-scooters in communal areas as if they are involved in a fire, it can easily block the only means of escape.

Fire investigators have determined that many of the e-bike incidents have involved e-bike conversion kits (to convert a standard push bike into an electric bike rather than purpose built ones). These only provide the motors and control gear but batteries must be sourced separately.

Assistant Commissioner Pugsley added: “There is a significant risk posed by the e-bikes which have been converted and we are predominantly seeing fires in ones which have been purchased from online market places and batteries which have been sourced on the internet, which may not meet the correct safety standards.

“Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used.

“Our advice is to try and store and charge these items in a safe location if possible, such as in a shed or 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 using safe charging and ensure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire.

“Make sure they are charged in a room where there is smoke detection and on a hard, flat surface.

“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.”

A spokesperson from Hammersmith and Fulham Council said: “We are grateful to the emergency services for their speedy response.

“We urge all residents to follow London Fire Brigade’s advice when charging e-scooters and e-bikes at home.

“These batteries and chargers, often bought unregulated on the internet, are highly dangerous and expose people to unacceptable risk. So we will be looking to take robust measures to ban charging inside council accommodation and look to the government to enable us to do this.

“We would also remind e-scooter owners that their use on public roads is illegal.”


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July 4, 2022