London facing record number of e-bike fires as fire chief warns incidents are now 'worryingly common'

London is on course for a record number of e-bike fires this year, with firefighters responding to incidents almost every other day.

Preliminary figures from the London Fire Brigade reveal that 165 e-bike and e-scooter fires have been recorded in the capital so far this year — a 28% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

If the current trend continues, London is expected to see more than 200 such incidents in a single year for the first time.

At least one person has died as a result of an e-bike fire this year, with several others injured.

Eden Abera Siem, 30, died after a fire broke out in a bedsit on Lordship Lane, Wood Green, on June 21.

A converted e-bike fire in Harefield which took place in August (LFB)

She was found unconscious inside the property and pulled from the blaze by firefighters, but died in hospital later that day.

A London Fire Brigade investigation found the fire was most likely sparked by a malfunctioning lithium-ion battery pack from a charging e-bike.

Ms Siem's death is the fourth fatal e-bike fire since 2023 — and in each case, the victim was not the owner or user of the e-bike involved.

A fire caused by an e-bike which has devestated a house (LFB)

“We continue to see the devastating consequences of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London. Our thoughts are with the family of Eden as well as all those who have been impacted by fires in recent years,” Assistant Commissioner for Prevention & Protection, Pamela Oparaocha said.

“Fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters are worryingly common in London. Since the beginning of 2023, we have attended a fire, on average, every other day, and some of these fires have destroyed homes and claimed lives.”

Firefighters dealing with an e-bike fire in Hanwell (LFB)

Second-hand e-bike batteries and chargers bought online are behind most of the fires, as the products are often poorly made, unregulated, and more likely to fail than those sold by high-street retailers.

The London Fire Brigade said there was evidence that gig economy workers were living at the property where the fatal fire in Wood Green.

Firefighters have urged gig economy companies to do more to raise awareness among their riders about the fire risks linked to e-bikes.

LFB has written to firms including Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo, calling on them to share fire safety advice directly with their couriers.

Assistant Commissioner Oparaocha added: “Everything possible must be done to help people understand the risks and the steps they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.

Firefighters deal with an e-bike fore in North Pole Road (LFB)

"We’ve been pleased to work with organisations such as London Trading Standards and Deliveroo to share advice directly to e-bike riders. But these events have demonstrated the dangers people are exposing themselves and others to when it comes to their e-bikes in particular.”

Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First said: “Many e-bike fires are caused by the failure of the lithium-ion battery that powers them. If these batteries are substandard they risk causing a catastrophic fire, releasing toxic fumes and heating up to temperatures above 700 degrees in seconds.

“We urge the Government to be brave and bold when considering what regulations they will introduce to tackle these fires and continue to advocate for the introduction of third-party certification for e-bike batteries to ensure they are safe before they can be sold on the UK market.

“Strict new safety standards for conversion kits that turn push bikes into e-bikes must also be urgently introduced alongside tough new laws to clamp down on online marketplace giants whose platforms commonly host the sale of substandard goods.”