Five people rescued from Hartland flat fire caused by e-bike on charge
Five people were rescue from a flat in North Devon after a fire broke out while an e-bike was on charge.
The escape route through the building had become blocked by the flames.
Crews from Hartland, Appledore, Torrington, Bideford and Barnstaple were called to the flat in Hartland at 11:27am on Monday 31 July.
When they arrived, they found the fire had been caused by an e-bike on charge.
Images from the scene show the bike was destroyed in the fire, as well as there being severe damage to one of the rooms.
A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “Fire crews were called to a fire at a domestic property which was soon escalated to a persons reported incident.
“Control quickly made pumps 4 due to amount of calls received. Crews on scene used a short extension ladder, 4 breathing apparatus, 2 hose real jets, 1 safety jet and a thermal imaging camera. 5 personnel were rescued by fire crews.
The fire was accidental and believed to be caused by an item on charge.”
They added: “You may have seen there has been an increase in the number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
"The images below are from an incident we attended today and serve as an important reminder to those with rechargeable bikes, scooters, motorbikes and mobility scooters.
“Swift actions of crews from Hartland, Appledore, Torrington, Bideford and Barnstable prevented this incident from being a lot worse.
"Crews rescued five people from the building due to the escape route being blocked.”
The fire service has these safety tips:
Ensure your smoke alarms are working, and you have one smoke alarm on every level of your home.
Always use the charger supplied with the device or recommended by the manufacturer.
Never leave batteries unattended while charging and do not charge them overnight.
Keep escape routes clear so there is no risk of fire starting, and so residents can evacuate quickly and safely.