A look back at east London e-bike fires as incidents spike

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Fires caused by electronic bikes and scooters have caused numerous east London fires so far this year, with London Fire Brigade (LFB) revealing there has been a rise across the capital.

In Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Hackney, Redbridge and Waltham Forest, LFB has recorded 41 e-bike fires and five e-scooter fires so far in 2023.

This includes a devastating fire in Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, in which father-of-two Mizanur Rahman, 41, was killed.

LFB said the blaze was believed to have been caused by a faulty lithium e-bike battery charging at the time.

RELATED NEWS: Fire at Upminster train station disrupts rush hour services

East London Advertiser: Ilford e-bike fire which destroyed the first floor of a houseIlford e-bike fire which destroyed the first floor of a house (Image: LFB)

A fire in Hampton Road, Ilford on July 17 was also caused by a faulty e-bike, LFB said, which destroyed part of a house and hospitalised a man.

The brigade added that there have been more e-bike and e-scooter fires this year in London so far than all of 2022.

East London Advertiser: An e-bike fire in Hainault damaged part of a two-storey houseAn e-bike fire in Hainault damaged part of a two-storey house (Image: LFB)

A house fire in Woodman Path, Hainault on Feburary 9 was also caused by an e-bike, hospitalising three children, a woman and two men.

East London's e-bike fires contribute to more than a third of such incidents across the capital, with 41 incidents out of 109 as of September 3.

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