'I cheated death' - Man's shock after e-scooter bursts into flames while charging in Brent home

  • Footage shows the moment an e-scooter burst into flames while charging

A shocked man said he "cheated death" after his e-scooter burst into flames in his kitchen.

Now footage has been shared to highlight the risks around charging batteries.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) published the video showing the moment an e-scooter catches fire while plugged in at a house in Brent, north-west London on Saturday (May 13).

Within seconds the room was engulfed by flames and smoke.

Security guard Dell Williams was charging the e-scooter he had purchased a fortnight earlier after seeing a listing on online marketplace Gumtree.

The moment the e-scooter burst into flames Credit: London Fire Brigade/PA

Neither he nor the other tenants living in the property were near the kitchen when the fire occurred.

The 37-year-old said: “I just want to thank the Lord that we managed to get out of there in one piece. I am so grateful to be alive.

“I spent eight hours in hospital due to inhaling smoke from the fire. When I went back to the house it was such an eye-opener.

“I was shocked, I am shocked now. I am so grateful that no-one else was hurt. I cheated death.”

He added: “Don’t have e-scooters in the house. Charge outside.”

LFB deputy commissioner Dom Ellis said this type of fire is becoming more common.

Mr Ellis said: “As the video shows, once a battery starts to go into thermal runaway a fire develops very quickly and can block escape routes. Thermal runaway can lead to the destruction of the battery and a ferocious fire.

"We know prior to ignition, thermal runaway can lead to the ejection of a range of gases. The white and grey-coloured smoke is not harmless, and the speed at which these incidents develop shouldn’t be ignored."

Users of e-scooters and e-bikes are advised to allow their batteries to cool down before recharging them, and to buy chargers and batteries from reputable sellers.

Security guard Dell had purchased the e-scooter just a fortnight before on Gumtree Credit: London Fire Brigade/PA

LFB also urged people to fit smoke alarms in areas where charging happens indoors.

The brigade has been called to 48 e-bike fires and 12 e-scooter fires in the capital so far this year.

Private e-scooters cannot be legally ridden on roads or pavements in the UK - but have become a common sight, particularly in urban areas.

Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in dozens of towns and cities across England are ongoing.

On Wednesday, Transport Minister Jesse Norman told the Commons’ Transport Select Committee that e-scooter and e-bike fires are “an issue of serious concern” and the Government is “working hard on it”.

He said: “We’ve had very few fires on the (e-scooter) trials, but we have had some. There are obviously wider reports and there’s now a scare going on at the moment about e-bikes.”

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