The fire, which occurred on April 12, was triggered by the catastrophic failure of an e-bike battery that had been charging in the flat's hallway for up to 12 hours, according to the London Fire Brigade. It damaged part of the hallway and produced smoke. Working smoke alarms alerted the occupants quickly, but the woman was trapped in a bedroom with smoke traveling in, leading her to jump three storeys and sustain serious injuries.
A second occupant, a man, was led to safety by firefighters. This incident underscores a broader trend in London, where the fire brigade attends a fire involving an e-bike or e-scooter on average every other day. Last year, London saw a record number of such fires.
The London Fire Brigade advises purchasing e-bike and e-scooter batteries from reputable sellers, not online or second-hand, as the latter are often prone to catching fire.