Firefighters are issuing a reminder about using lithium batteries safely following a house fire on Balfe Street in King’s Cross.
Part of the ground floor of a mid-terrace house was damaged by fire. Around 40 lithium batteries were removed to the outside of the property. A woman left the property uninjured before the Brigade arrived and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus rescued a dog.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by a lithium battery for an e-bike.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Several batteries were present at the property, which increases the risk of the wrong or an incompatible charger being used.
"Mismatching the charger increases the risk of fire. It's also important not to overcharge and to unplug the charger once it's completed charging. Never charge an e-bike or e-scooter unattended or whilst you're sleeping.
"If you're converting your bike from a pushbike into an e-bike, make sure you get a professional or competent person to carry out the conversion."
In 2025, London saw record numbers of e-bike and e-scooter fires, with more than 200 fires attended by firefighters across the capital. The Brigade's investigations shows that lithium-ion battery failure, conversion kits and chargers are often the cause of these fires – and that items purchased online, which don’t meet UK safety standards, whether bought new or second-hand, are particularly prone to going up in flames. The lithium-ion batteries that power e-bikes and e-scooters can fail for a number of reasons, including if they have been built poorly, are counterfeit, become damaged, are overcharged or used with an incorrect charger.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson added: "We encourage anyone who owns an e-bike or e-scooter, or is thinking about purchasing one, to take a look at our #ChargeSafe website for advice on how to store and charge e-bikes and e-scooters, to help keep yourself and those around you safer from these types of fires."
The Brigade was called at 0843 and Control Officers mobilised four fire engines and around 25 firefighters from Euston, Islington, Shoreditch and Soho fire stations to the scene. The fire was under control by 0955.