Family Makes Lucky Escape After E-Bike Battery Fire in Drakelow

A family in Drakelow had a lucky escape after a severe house fire—caused by a failing lithium-ion battery in an e-bike—forced them to climb from a first-floor window to safety.

Drakelow lithium battery fire. Credit: Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service

Firefighters from Swadlincote and Staffordshire’s Burton Fire Station were called to the incident on Harbury Close at 01:47am on Tuesday 25 November. When crews arrived, one adult and two children had already escaped the property and were handed into the care of East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Luckily, the property had working smoke alarms that activated and alerted everyone inside. This allowed the family time to evacuate through a window as their escape route was blocked by the rapidly developing fire.

Without working smoke alarms, the outcome could have been very different, as this was a severe fire that put those within the property at significant risk. Lithium-ion batteries power our everyday lives, and it is devastating to see the extensive damage caused on this occasion by one used to power an e-bike.

The battery cells used in e-bikes and e-scooters can cause rapid fire development, while producing large volumes of toxic smoke and flammable gases. The risks cannot be overstated and this could have been a very different outcome if there hadn’t been smoke alarms in the property.

It is vital to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and store e-bikes and e-scooters appropriately within your property so that, in the event of a fire, the risk of harm to those inside is significantly reduced and their escape route is not blocked.

Do not charge e-bikes and e-scooters when you are asleep or away from home and always purchase them from a reputable retailer.”