Shocking moment e-bike explosion destroys family’s home days before Christmas

On By Littum

This is the moment a family home was destroyed in seconds by a raging fire sparked when an e-bike exploded just days before Christmas.

A man fell from the roof while waiting to be rescued from the house fire caused by a battery on a charged second-hand e-bike in Catford, south-east London, on 14 December.

Footage from a doorbell camera at a neighbour’s home shows how quickly the property was engulfed in fire, with loud explosions startling neighbours.

Three people were inside the house when the e-bike’s lithium battery burst into flames on the first floor, sending toxic smoke through the house.

The moment the e-bike explodes

The moment the e-bike explodes (@Wedissimo)

Two family members stuck in the attic found their escape blocked by the huge fire. As the room was consumed by toxic smoke, they had no choice but to crawl through a skylight and onto the sloping roof.

A man fell from the roof while waiting for firefighters to arrive and was discovered lying in the garden with serious injuries. A woman also escaped onto the roof before slipping and falling into the arms of a firefighter. She was treated for smoke inhalation.

Toxic smoke pours out of the upper window of the house

Toxic smoke pours out of the upper window of the house (LFB)

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Field said: “This was a devastating fire which has destroyed most of a family home.

“It is fortunate that no life was lost, given how quickly the fire took hold and the fact that two people ended up trapped in the fire. I would like to commend the actions of the fireman who thought quickly and stopped the woman in falling from the roof to the ground.”

He said the e-bike had been converted from a normal bike and was charging at the time of the fire – a type his force is called out to on average once a day in the capital.

He added: “The bike had been bought second-hand from an online marketplace and we also know that the charger used was generic and not specific to the battery pack.

“If you’re planning to buy yourself or a loved one an e-bike or e-scooter for Christmas and you see an offer online that seems too good to be true, it probably is.”