Dad dies after battery pack charging bike caused fire like a 'rocket hitting house' in Kentish Town

A North London community is devastated after a dad died in a house fire when a lithium battery pack charging an e-bike is believed to have caught alight.

Firefighters were called to Woodyard Close in Kentish Town after receiving 13 calls at the weekend just before 7am and took two-and-half hours to bring it under control. The blaze looked 'like a rocket hit the house and blew up' according to one eyewitness.

The London Fire Brigade sent ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters to try and rescue the man and extinguish the flames.

Tragically, the fire completely destroyed a family's house and resulted in a member of the family losing their life. Billy Corrol, Chairman of the Tenants and Residents Association in Woodyard Close, told MyLondon: "Everyone [in the community] is totally devastated. When you see it, it's like a rocket has just hit a house and blew up. That's the damage it's caused. That house is totally gone." He added: "It's such a shock, especially for the family's children. I think they actually saw the fire so that's something that will be in their minds for the rest of their lives, seeing their house go up." After the fire on July 6 a LFB spokesperson said: "Sadly, a man has died following a flat fire on Woodyard Close in Kentish Town. Most of the ground and first floors of a mid-terraced house converted into flats were alight.

"Five people left the building before the fire crews arrived. Firefighters found a man on the ground floor of the property, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. The Brigade's 999 control officers took 13 calls to the blaze. "The brigade was called at 6.56am and the fire was under control by 9.22am. Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters from Kentish Town, Euston, Hornsey, Soho and surrounding fire stations attended the scene. Our fire investigators believe the most probable cause of the fire is due to a lithium battery pack failure, that was charging an e-bike." Many households were affected by the fire too, with surrounding houses damaged by the fire.

Billy said the Residents Association had given the six houses affected £500 each to deal with the damage. It is understood that the family that lost their home is now living with relatives while they find somewhere else to live.

Now, the committee of the tenants and residents association has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help the family where they can.

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