London Bus Driver Warns Public After Converted E-Bike Fire Destroys Home

A London bus driver is urging people to consider carefully where they purchase their e-bikes and associated parts, following an incident where he and his family narrowly escaped a fire caused by a converted e-bike battery that devastated their residence. Don Hettiarachchi, 49, from New Malden in south-west London, was compelled to reside in emergency accommodation for several weeks after the September fire. He stated: “Don’t think it won’t happen to you, because it happened to us, and my whole house was destroyed in less than 10 minutes by an exploding battery.” This event occurs as new research indicates that more than half (58%) of Londoners who are considering utilizing a Black Friday or Cyber Monday promotion to acquire an e-bike, e-scooter, or conversion kit would do so from online marketplaces. Mr. Hettiarachchi has only recently moved back into the upper section of his home following the blaze. He explained that his son’s e-bike – which was a second-hand bicycle modified to be electric – had been charging for five hours in the conservatory at the rear of the house before it ignited. He mentioned: “I work night shifts and when I heard the smoke alarm, I initially thought it was some car alarms in the street outside.” He continued: “Disorientated, I went to have a look and found the whole of the bottom floor of my home filled with smoke.“ He added: “Luckily, the smoke alarms alerted us to get out of the house. I woke my wife and son and we escaped outside.” He further stated: “My wife is still suffering from shock at the moment. We both went to the doctor and took a month off work due to the stress.” Mr. Hettiarachchi also noted that because his father-in-law had been unwell, he forgot to renew his house insurance, and it had expired before the fire, leading to the loss of all their possessions. He advised: “My advice is to really do your homework before you buy. Make sure the e-bike battery and the charger are compatible with one another. Make sure you buy from a reputable seller that you know and trust.” He cautioned: “Never leave them on charge unattended, in particular overnight, as you need to react should anything go wrong.” Research into e-bike and e-scooter purchasing habits was conducted by Censuswide for the charity Electrical Safety First and London Fire Brigade (LFB), involving more than 2,000 Londoners. Approximately one in five respondents indicated they would definitely consider taking advantage of a Black Friday or Cyber Monday deal to purchase an e-bike, e-scooter, or e-bike conversion kit. The LFB has been running its ChargeSafe campaign, which provides guidance to members of the public on safely charging and storing their e-bikes and e-scooters. The brigade reported that it had responded to 124 fires caused by e-bikes and 24 caused by e-scooters in London so far this year. Richard Field, its deputy assistant commissioner for prevention and protection, commented: “We understand that people are trying to save money, but if you spot a deal this week that looks too be good to be true, it probably is.” Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, remarked: “Remember that safety starts with where you shop. Unknowingly buying a substandard e-bike, charger or conversion kit online could have serious consequences.”