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The London Fire Brigade warned incompatible lithium-ion batteries or faulty conversion kits in e-bikes and e-scooters can cause fires
Shaheena UddinWednesday 26 November 2025 12:17 GMTComments
Close‘E-bike batteries’ spark huge blaze at east London apartment block
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The London Fire Brigade (LFB) issued a warning ahead of Black Friday after a record number of fires were caused by an e-bike or e-scooter so far this year.
LFB is urging consumers to be careful when buying these products from online marketplaces on the huge shopping discount day and to be aware of the dangers.
Incompatible lithium-ion batteries or faulty conversion kits in e-bikes and e-scooters can cause fires, which spread quickly and create toxic smoke with catastrophic consequences.
Firefighters have responded to 18 related fires a month throughout 2025 so far where the battery was the cause, and they predict they will attend 200 e-bike and e-scooter fires by the end of the year.
Two lives have been claimed this year due to e-bike fires, taking the total up to five since 2023. In all five of these separate incidents, those who lost their life did not even own the e-bike that failed.
open image in galleryFirefighters have responded to 18 related fires a month throughout 2025 so far where the battery was the cause (LFB)“What might appear as a saving in the short term, could cost a lot more in the long term – it could even cost someone their life,” the LFB said.
‘It was like a grenade had been thrown’
Jahmell Campbell, 24, was at home watching TV with his dad and grandma in a first-floor flat in March when his e-scooter burst into flames.
Due to the force of the blaze, the internal walls of the flat collapsed and completely destroyed his grandmother’s flat in Catford, south-east London, leaving it uninhabitable.
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open image in galleryJahmell Campbell said it was like a grenade had been thrown into the flat (LFB)Mr Campbell said: “It was like a grenade had been thrown into the flat. The e-scooter had been charged 45 minutes before the fire.
“I bought the device a year ago online for £1,200 and never had any trouble. The only complication I had was on the day of the fire when the battery kept cutting out.
“I jumped out of the front first-floor flat window to escape. My dad and my grandma escaped via the back of the property. I would never get another e-scooter.
“No chance! I am not sure how we all made it out of the house alive. My dad had bad nightmares after the incident.”
open image in galleryDue to the force of the blaze, the internal walls of Mr Campbell’s grandmother’s home collapsed and destroyed the flat, leaving it uninhabitable (LFB)‘In minutes, my family lost our home’
Jo Frost lost her home, which she had lived in for 23 years, to an e-bike fire where a conversation kit was bought from a second-hand marketplace online. Her 14-year-old son Ollie, his friend, and the family dog narrowly escaped the flames.
Ms Frost said: “The e-bike was charging in the front room when it burst into flames, my son and his friend were trapped on the first floor due to the fire spreading up the stairs. Thankfully, he had the quick thinking to shut his bedroom door, preventing the fire from spreading to his room.
“In minutes, my family lost our home and everything inside due to a fire caused by an e-bike. Everything I lost is material. Luckily my son Ollie, his friend and the dog are all safe, but we have had to start from scratch.
“I wasn’t aware of the dangers of buying a conversion kit online – or that it wasn’t regulated. I hope that hearing my story will warn others of the potential dangers.”
open image in galleryJo Frost lost her home, that she had lived in for 23 years, to an e-bike fire where a conversation kit was bought from a second-hand marketplace online (LFB)Conversion kits allow customers to transform a normal pedal bike into an e-bike. However, if they are not installed correctly, they pose a dangerous fire risk.
The kits rarely come with a battery or charger, which leads to shoppers buying these items separately and potentially purchasing an incompatible product.
Incompatible, sub-standard, faulty or damaged chargers can lead to batteries overcharging, and this increases the threat of batteries catching fire.
Purchasing an e-bike or e-scooter from an online marketplace poses a significantly higher risk of catching on fire due to the lack of regulation, the LFB warned.
In contrast, high street retailers are more likely to stock products with batteries and chargers that meet the UKCA or CE safety standards.
During one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, LFB broadcast the warning on the largest digital screen in Europe in Piccadilly Circus.
open image in galleryLFB’s #ChargeSafe campaign raises awareness of the fire risks associated with e-bikes and e-scooters (LFB)London fire commissioner Jonathan Smith said: “As we have seen, these fires have devastating consequences – they are fast, explosive, toxic and can be fatal.”
Jules Pipe, deputy mayor for the fire service, said: “E-bikes are top of the wish list for many people shopping in the sales, in the run up to Christmas, but buying online can come with risks. In London we’ve seen a record number of e-bike and e-scooter fires this year – with most taking place in people’s homes.
“I urge Londoners to think twice about buying an e-bike or conversion kit from online marketplaces and encourage them to shop with reputable retailers – if it seems too good to be true it probably is and could be extremely dangerous.”
LFB’s #ChargeSafe campaign raises awareness of the fire risks associated with e-bikes and e-scooters, and is seeking changes to regulation to prevent poor quality batteries, chargers and conversion kits being sold via online marketplaces.
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