E-bikes and e-scooters have become increasingly popular on the streets of London. But fires involving a type of battery found in e-bikes and e-scooters are the fastest growing fire risk in the capital, according to the London Fire Brigade (LFB) [1].
Lithium-ion batteries are small and lightweight but can store a large amount of energy. Because of this, they are volatile under stress, and if damaged or incorrectly charged, they can be a fire risk.
60 firefighters were needed to tackle a large fire on the 12th floor of a tower block in Shepherd’s Bush in June 2022, which the Brigade said was caused by an e-bike battery failure.
LFB has reported a significant increase in such fires in London and said that it has attended, on average, an e-bike or e-scooter fire every two days so far in 2023.
What action is being taken to address the rising number of e-scooter and e-bike fires in London? Do Londoners who live in high rise residential buildings receive adequate fire safety guidance on these topics in the context of heightened risk in these buildings?
The London Assembly Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee will meet tomorrow to investigate key emerging fire risks, including lithium-ion batteries and disposable barbecues, and how Londoners can be better protected.
The guests are:
- Baroness Twycross, Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience
- Dom Ellis, Deputy Commissioner, LFB
- Charlie Pugsley, Assistant Commissioner, LFB
- Dan Daly, Head of Continuous Improvement, National Fire Chiefs Council
- Dan Parsons, Director, Fully Charged e-bikes
- Lucy Grenville, Safety and Law Enforcement Liaison, Tier Mobility
- Stephen Curtler, Product Safety Manager, Electrical Safety First
The meeting will take place on Wednesday 28 June 2023 from 10am, in The Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
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Notes to editors
- LFB The dangers of electric scooter and electric bicycle batteries
- Read the agenda papers.
- Anne Clarke AM, Chair of the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Emma Bowden in the Assembly Media Office on 07849 303897. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.