E-bikes and scooters are causing a rise in residential building fires. Protect your buildings with a service and maintenance contract from Colt.

*On average, in 2023, the London Fire Brigade is called to an e-bike or scooter fire every two days and in 2022, they attended a total of 116 fires related to e-charging and lithium batteries.

With more and more people (especially in cities) switching to electric alternatives for transport there are fears that these figures will continue to grow. As lithium battery fires start and grow much faster than any other type of fire, there are new threats to tenant safety in high-rise residential buildings and it is extremely important that escape routes can be accesses quickly and safely if a battery fire should start.

As previously mentioned, these fires spread incredibly quickly and are very difficult to put out, so keeping common corridors free of smoke for tenant and firefighting crews becomes extremely important.

In an effort to avoid these fires, the London Fire Brigade has launched a #ChargeSafe campaign to warn people against the dangers of charging old or faulty batteries. However, in instances where prevention is not possible, robust fire safety strategies and systems will make all the difference in keeping people safe.

If you manage a high-rise residential building or office where e-scooters or bikes can be charged, get in touch with our team of experts today to ensure that your systems are safe and following the latest regulatory guidelines.

*Source: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/charging-electric-bike-and-electric-scooter-lithium-batteries/