Electric scooter charging causes flat fire
Crews have issued safety advice after an electric scooter battery caused a fire.
Our Control team received calls to a fire in a ground floor flat in Wayletts, Laindon today at 12.40am.
Two crews from Basildon attended and found a fire in a bedroom.
Watch Manager Mark Blakebrough said: "An e-scooter battery exploded and set the mattress and bedding alight, which caused the fire to spread very rapidly.
"Thankfully the property had working smoke alarms which alerted the occupants to the fire quickly and crews did a really good job of containing the fire to the bedroom.
"Unfortunately, the bedroom was badly damaged by fire and the rest of the flat had filled with smoke so the flat is uninhabitable.
"The incident shows the dangers of charging or keeping e-scooters inside because lithium batteries can overheat and ignite."
Other residents in the three-storey building had to leave their flats until the fire was fully extinguished and the building was safe, at 1.43am.
Watch Manager Blakebrough said: "I'd like to thank the residents for being so patient and offering their support."
E-scooter safety advice
If you are buying an electric scooter, please follow this guidance:
- Buy from a reputable retailer and follow the manufacturer's guidance on charging and storing
- Store your e-scooter outside and away from escape routes
- Always charge during the day when you are at home
- Do not over-charge – once your item is fully charged, disconnect it and turn the charger off
- Always unplug after use
- Register it at registermyappliance
- Avoid storing, using or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures
- Check your battery regularly. If it gets damaged it could cause a fire
Do you have working smoke alarms in your home?
We recommend you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home.
You can book a free Home Fire Safety visit by either popping into your local fire station, calling 0300 303 0088 or booking a visit online at essex-fire.gov.uk/book
