The Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, has urged residents to follow safety advice when charging e-bikes and e-scooters after a fire broke out in a flat in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“It is highly concerning to see another potential e-bike battery fire take place in Tower Hamlets,” he said.
“40 firefighters were called out to a property in Whitechapel where a converted e-bike was being stored in the hallway. We must spread these crucial safety messages far and wide, never block your fire escape route with e-bikes or e-scooters and do not charge while you are asleep or not around.
“As always, the safety of our residents is our main priority and, alongside Peabody Housing, the responsible housing association, Council officers have been at the scene to assist with the incident. We will continue to work with London Fire to tackle this issue and our officers will remain focused on removing imported and unsafe lithium batteries from local shops and online providers.”
London Fire Brigade released information about the fire, reporting that e-bikes and e-scooters have become London’s fastest growing fire risk. Find out more about how you can #ChargeSafe on the council website.
Posted on Wednesday 7th February 2024