Fire Caused by E-bike Leaves One Dead and Two Injured
One man is dead and two more have been injured in Litherland, Merseyside due to a fire caused by an e-bike that had been left charging overnight.
According to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), the blaze in Daisy Mews, Merseyside began in the early hours of 8 January 2023, with fire crews being alerted at around 3am. Four fire appliances were dispatched to the scene and, on arrival, found the ground floor “fully involved in fire”.
Firefighters wore breathing apparatus to enter the property and used hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze. They carried out two people – it is believed that a third person was able to escape after being woken up by the smoke alarm.
Paramedics from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) were also present on the scene to treat the two injured. A joint investigation between MFRS and Merseyside Police found that the fire was accidental and had been caused by an e-bike that had been left to charge overnight. They noted that the fire had “rapidly taken hold and spread quickly through open internal doors”.
Mark Thomas, the Area Manager for MFRS, described the incident as “devastating”:
“I would like to commend the efforts of our fire control staff who offered help to callers, our fire crews who attempted rescues, also working with NWAS who combined made every effort to provide emergency resuscitation for the casualties,” he said.
The accidental blaze emphasises the ongoing concerns about the dangers of malfunctioning e-bike batteries and chargers: “This tragedy highlights the very real risks posed by e-bikes, which we have confirmed as the source of the fire. We would ask that people don’t leave any electrical appliance – particularly e-bikes and scooters – charging unattended and definitely not while you are asleep when we are all at our most vulnerable. Also, consider if you are leaving the bike or scooter in the way of your escape route should you need to evacuate in darkness.”
“I would also urge people to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, only using batteries and chargers which have been supplied with the vehicle or approved by the manufacturer,” Thomas added.
MFRS added that firefighters and prevention staff will be visiting the local area in the aftermath of the fatal fire to offer “vital fire safety advice and complete home fire safety checks” as part of a reassurance campaign. Thomas’ advice to residents is to “make a bedtime routine ensuring all internal doors are closed, as this will slow the progress of a fire if one should happen.”
“In this incident, the resident who raised the alarm was able to do so as smoke alarms had alerted them – please ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and check them regularly,” he added.