Firefighters are warning Londoners about the dangers of e-bikes, e-scooters and lithium-ion batteries, following three severe fires in separate parts of the capital in the space of a week.

All three fires are believed to have been caused by the catastrophic failures of lithium batteries for e-bikes. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been running its #ChargeSafe campaign, with e-bikes and e-scooters becoming one of the capital’s fastest-growing fire risks.

The first of the three fires took place in Mitcham, prompting 26 calls to the Brigade's 999 Control Room officers. There were no fatalities but the entire property was destroyed in the blaze. The second fire was in Bethnal Green and believe to be caused by an e-bike. Investigators found different-sized batteries with one charger and an e-bike in the third floor flat where the blaze started. Again, there were fortunately no fatalities, though one woman was taken to hospital due to smoke inhalation.

The third incident was an e-bike fire in Walthamstow, which gutted a ground floor flat. The owner had bought the converted e-bike from an online marketplace. It was on charge in the living room when the occupants heard a popping noise before toxic fumes were released and the bike burst into flames.

Richard Field, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection at the London Fire Brigade, said: “The level of destruction each of these fires has caused cannot be underestimated. Three homes have been completely damaged by fire and smoke. It’s extremely fortunate that no-one has been seriously hurt.

“In all three cases, these fires were caused by catastrophic lithium-ion battery failures. When these batteries fail, they can cause ferocious fires and the consequences can be devastating. We urge people who own these devices to follow the safety advice that will help to protect those around them and their properties.”

A report by Fire Safety Matters showed the number of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London in 2025 could be the highest yet. This year has seen an average of around 18 e-bike or e-scooter fires per month. If that trend continues for the remainder of the year, London will surpass 200 incidents in a single 12-month period for the first time.

Four people have died in fires caused by e-bike battery failures in London since 2023, while more than 100 people have been hurt.

Field added: “We want to urgently remind e-bike owners that using mismatched batteries and chargers, notably so incompatible or counterfeit ones, can cause serious fires such as the one in Bethnal Green. If the wrong charger is used, this can lead to the battery overheating, failing and starting a fire in seconds. 

"We recommend that devices are never left charging unattended. At the Walthamstow fire, the owner was on hand to react when the charging battery burst into flames. If the fire had happened when the occupants were asleep, it could have been a very different story."