E-bike and e-scooter battery fires cause of 18 deaths and nearly 700 injuries

Fires caused by e-bikes and e-scooters have resulted in 18 deaths and nearly 700 injuries across the United Kingdom between 2019 and 2025, according to data obtained through Freedom of Information requests by BBC Verify.

More than 2,000 fires were linked to the vehicles or their lithium-ion batteries over the seven-year period. Incidents have increased significantly year-on-year, rising from 32 fires in 2019 to 605 in 2025. Nearly half of the blazes started inside homes or garages. Urban areas recorded the highest figures, with London Fire and Rescue Service logging 793 incidents, followed by Manchester with 128 and West Yorkshire with 93.

Fire service officials and safety experts expressed rising concern over the hazards posed by second-hand vehicles, modified models, and low-cost conversion kits purchased from online marketplaces. London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pam Oparaocha warned that many blazes attended by firefighters involved modified bikes or parts bought online, urging consumers to be extremely careful about where they purchase these products.

Lithium-ion batteries store substantial energy in compact spaces. Dr. Simon Jones, a researcher at the University of Warwick, stated that damaged, faulty, or overcharged batteries can release their stored energy rapidly in the form of flame jets and burning projectiles. He noted that such failures inside a home can engulf a room within seconds, blocking escape routes and releasing toxic fumes.

The fatalities included individuals trapped inside burning buildings, people attempting to escape from high windows, and victims of toxic smoke inhalation. UK coroners have issued at least five Prevention of Future Deaths reports regarding these fires since 2023. In 2024, eight-year-old Luke Albiston-O'Donnell died after inhaling toxic fumes from a charging e-bike battery in Birkenhead. In another case, 28-year-old Mohsin Janjua died in Bradford in 2023 following a catastrophic battery failure traced to an e-bike conversion kit purchased online from China.

The UK cycling trade body, the Bicycle Association, estimates that an average of 153,000 new e-bikes have been added to UK roads annually since 2020. Steve Garidis of the Bicycle Association stated that investments in safe products by legitimate retailers are being undermined by illegal, unsafe items sold online to unsuspecting consumers. The association has urged the government to crack down on online sales of uncertified products.

In response, a government spokesperson said action is underway to protect consumers by strengthening the responsibilities of online marketplaces, working with local enforcement to remove unsafe items, and running the Buy Safe, Be Safe public education campaign. Official guidance advises consumers to buy from reputable sellers, ensure products carry UKCA or CE safety marks, and avoid using incompatible chargers.