A fire ripped through a block of flats in Hanwell, west London, after an overcharged e-bike battery ignited. Residents evacuated themselves at 6pm on July 19 after spotting the blaze from their windows. The London Fire Brigade attended quickly and extinguished the fire within an hour, but some residents have been left traumatised.
Journalist Artur Kieruzal, 46, who filmed the fire, said: “People who lived in the block opposite saw the fire from their windows. At first, people thought it was just fireworks - because it sounded exactly the same. They were shocked to see the e-bike battery had literally exploded.”
A 44-year-old mother of two, who did not wish to be named, described the terrifying experience: “We heard an explosion that sounded like fireworks. My son (11) ran out to me and said: ‘The house is burning.’ I went out onto the terrace and saw thick, black smoke - my husband and I grabbed our children and ran. We’re on the fourth floor - we couldn’t see through the smoke and we had to make our way down four flights of stairs with children aged six and 11.” After evacuating, the couple went back in to help vulnerable residents. The mother added: “My husband went back in - and re-emerged with an unconscious man in his arms. I left the children with onlookers, and went back inside to alert more people.”
London Fire Brigade confirmed the source of the blaze was an e-bike battery that had been overcharged with an incorrect charger. No injuries were reported, but three families needed to be relocated after their flats sustained smoke damage. Kieruzal said: “The hall flats are a little bit destroyed - three flats were affected very badly and the families have needed to relocate. Nobody sleeps now - everyone is in shock.”
The brigade issued a fresh warning for e-bike users. A spokesperson said: “It is vital that you do not store or charge the device on an escape route such as a hallway. When charging your e-bike or e-scooter, make sure you are using the correct charger. Mismatching the charger increases the risk of fire. It's also important not to overcharge and to unplug the charger once it's completed charging. Never charge an e-bike or e-scooter unattended or whilst you’re sleeping.”
