London Rocked by Surge in E-Bike and E-Scooter Fires
London is battling a shocking rise in e-bike and e-scooter fires, with the London Fire Brigade (LFB) facing flames nearly every other day. In 2025 alone, crews have fought 165 blazes — a 28% jump from last year. If this pace continues, the capital could shatter the 200-fire mark for the first time ever.
Fatal Blaze Linked to Faulty E-Bike Battery
Tragedy struck in June when 30-year-old Eden Abera Siem died after a fire ravaged her Wood Green bedsit. Firefighters found her unconscious and rushed her to hospital, but Eden later passed away. Investigators confirmed a faulty lithium-ion battery from a charging e-bike caused the blaze. She is the fourth victim of fatal e-bike fires since 2023 — eerily, none were the owners or riders themselves.
Fire Chief Sounds Alarm on Rising Danger
Assistant Commissioner Pamela Oparaocha warned: “We continue to see the devastating consequences of e-bike and e-scooter fires in London. Our thoughts are with Eden’s family and everyone affected by these fires.”
“Since early 2023, we’ve attended a fire roughly every other day, with some destroying homes and costing lives.”
Cheap Batteries Blamed for Deadly Fires
The majority of these fires start with second-hand batteries and chargers bought online, often made with poor safety standards and no regulation. These cheap, dodgy products are far more dangerous than official gear from trusted retailers. The LFB is urging delivery giants like Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo to ramp up fire safety training for riders who frequently use e-bikes.
Oparaocha added: “We’ve worked with organisations to get safety info directly to riders, but these fires reveal the huge dangers posed to people and homes.”
Calls for Tougher Government Action Grow
Lesley Rudd, head of Electrical Safety First, is demanding immediate government intervention.
Rudd said: “Many e-bike fires start with lithium-ion battery failures. Substandard batteries can cause catastrophic fires, spewing toxic fumes and heating to over 700 degrees in seconds.”
She’s calling for mandatory third-party certification for all UK e-bike batteries, tighter controls on conversion kits, and a crackdown on dodgy online marketplaces flooding the market with unsafe, cheap batteries.
London on High Alert as Fire Risk Escalates
With e-bike fires on the rise, emergency services warn of growing risks to lives and homes unless urgent action is taken. Faulty batteries are the unseen threat — a ticking timebomb lurking across the capital’s streets.
