A woman was rescued from scaffolding outside a house after a charging e-scooter is believed to have sparked a serious early-morning fire in Alvaston.
Firefighters from Kingsway, Ascot Drive and Nottingham Road fire stations were called to Baker Street at 2.01am on Saturday, 22 August.
When crews arrived, they found a well-developed fire on the ground floor of the property, with flames coming through the windows.
Firefighters rescued a woman from scaffolding outside the house.
She and another occupant were taken to hospital for precautionary checks after suffering smoke inhalation.
The blaze was extinguished and crews left the scene at 3.49am.
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said a charging e-scooter was believed to be the most likely cause of the fire.
Area Manager for Fire Prevention Ellie Gillatt said:
“This incident is a stark reminder of how quickly fires involving lithium-ion batteries can develop.”
She warned that damaged, faulty or incorrectly charged e-scooter and e-bike batteries can ignite and spread rapidly due to thermal runaway, while also producing significant quantities of smoke and toxic gases.
Ms Gillatt urged owners to use manufacturer-approved chargers, avoid overcharging batteries and never leave them charging while asleep or away from home.
She also warned against charging or storing e-scooters and e-bikes near escape routes.
She added:
“Thankfully, no one was seriously injured in this incident, but the outcome could have been very different.”
The fire service is reminding people to ensure they have working smoke alarms and, if a lithium-ion battery catches fire, to get out, stay out and call 999.
