Bicycle Association backs #ChargeSafe campaign following tragic death

EBike battery safety has returned to the news amid renewed calls to safely charge and resist modifying e-bikes and e-scooters, following a tragic death earlier this year.

A fire broke out on New Years Day in a flat hallway, blocking residents’ fire escape route. Fire investigators found a bicycle had been converted into an eBike and the bike’s lithium battery pack had failed catastrophically, causing the fire. 21-year old Sofia Duarte sadly died in the fire, on Old Kent Road, South Bermondsey, London.

Unusually, the London Fire Brigade has been able to talk about the case while the Coroner’s court processes are ongoing, with special permission granted to raise awareness of the fire risks and to prevent future deaths.

The Brigade has launched a #ChargeSafe campaign to help people safely use e-bikes and e-scooters and inform people about the dangers of charging, storing and modifying the vehicles and their batteries. This follows an increasing rise in the number of extremely serious fires involving lithium batteries which are commonly used with these modes of transport.

So far this year, on average, London Fire Brigade has been called to an eBike or e-scooter fire once every two days – a 60% increase in the rate of these fires compared to the same period as last year. In 2022, the London Fire Brigade attended 87 eBike and 29 e-scooter fires, a total of 116 fires.

The Bicycle Association of Great Britain (BA) has given its backing to the London Fire Brigade’s #ChargeSafe campaign. The BA told CyclingIndustry.News: “The Bicycle Association is deeply saddened by the death of Sofia Duarte and our thoughts are with her family and friends as they cope with her tragic loss.

“The BA is working closely and proactively with the Department for Transport, London Fire Brigade and other Government agencies on the issues surrounding lithium batteries. We understand from the fire services that risks arise primarily from poorly regulated or improperly used e-bike conversion kits, batteries and chargers purchased via online marketplaces – rather than complete e-bikes purchased from reputable UK suppliers, which are generally very safe products.

“The BA wrote to the Minister of State at the Department for Transport, Jesse Norman MP, in January to request a cross-Government roundtable. We were pleased that the roundtable took place in mid-February, chaired by the Chief Executive of Active Travel England.

“We continue to work closely with officials and fire services to assist the DfT in developing official guidance on this issue with all possible speed, and to support research work commissioned by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) into the causes of these fires.

“Meanwhile we very much support the London Fire Brigade’s #ChargeSafe campaign and will continue to promote battery fire safety in the industry and beyond, not least through the development of a national end-of-life e-bike battery collection and recycling scheme.”

The London Fire Brigade also stressed the danger of buying devices that do not necessarily adhere to UK safety standards: “Conversion kits allow people to add an electric motor to their bikes but not all of them are sold with a battery. Cheaper batteries purchased from online sources which don’t necessarily adhere to UK safety regulations are more likely to fail and present an increased fire risk. While there was no evidence of poor installation in this case, DIY installations can also lead to damage of the kit, increasing the chances of battery failure and the likelihood of a fire.”

London Fire Brigade’s Deputy Commissioner, Dom Ellis, said: “Sofia’s death is a tragedy, and our condolences are with her family and friends. We are working hard to prevent these types of incidents in the future.

“EBikes and e-scooters are becoming more common in London and the risk of significant fires is rising too. We want people to travel safely and be aware of the risks that the batteries present as part of our #ChargeSafe campaign. Protect yourself and your loved ones by following our #ChargeSafe tips and by using our Home Fire Safety Checker.

“Never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. The only way to be sure of a legal, safe and reliable e-bike is to buy one in complete form, from a trusted and reputed retailer.

“The number of incidents our fire crews are attending shows that buying a product from a reputable seller will help protect you, your family and property from bursting into flames – not forgetting the peace of mind it can give.”