A man has been taken to hospital following a house fire involving an e-bike in Queen’s Park.
Firefighters were called to Kilburn Lane in the early hours of Tuesday morning, where the first floor of a mid-terraced house was alight.
One man managed to flee before the London Fire Brigade arrived and was treated at the scene .
A second man was rescued from the first floor using a three-piece ladder and was taken to hospital.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and involved an e-bike, London Fire Brigade said.
“It’s incredibly concerning we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters,” a spokesperson said.
“When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.
“Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes which have been converted.
“We are predominantly seeing fires in ones which have been purchased from online marketplaces and batteries which have been sourced on the internet, which may not meet the correct safety standards.”
E-bike users are being urged to store them in a shed or garage, and if they have to be indoors, to make sure a smoke alarm is fitted.
People are also advised not to charge them while sleeping.
The Brigade was called at 12.16am and the fire was under control by 1.29am.
Fire crews from North Kensington, Paddington, Willesden and West Hampstead fire stations attended the scene.
Firefighters have been called to more than 130 fires involving the type of batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters in London in little over a year, the Standard revealed in March.
A large fire at a block of flats in Shepherds Bush in June was ignited by a charging e-bike.
