Warning issued by Cambs fire service after home-made e-bike sparks sheds fire in Peterborough
The fire service has issued a warning after a faulty battery pack on a home-made e-bike sparked a blaze in Peterborough this week.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue are warning about the severity of fires caused by lithium batteries – and urge people to buy batteries from “reputable sellers”.
The warning comes after crews from Stanground and Dogsthorpe were called to a fire on Cosgrove Close in Ravensthorpe, at 6.30pm on Monday.
Sharing the image of the fire-damaged shed online, a spokesperson for the service said: “This was the aftermath of a shed fire in Peterborough earlier this week caused by a cell pack for a homemade e-bike.
“It is believed that the cell pack fell onto the floor, damaging it and ultimately causing it to burst into flames.
“Luckily the resident realised what was happening and called 999. There were no injuries but due to the severity of lithium battery fires the contents of the shed and a shed in a neighbouring property was destroyed.”
Adding that they wish to remind people of the risks of home-made e-bikes and battery packs, they added: “Whilst seen as a cheap alternative, most of the time these do not contain the safety systems that are in batteries purchased from a reputable seller.
“If a battery has been dropped or knocked where you can see damage to the battery or case, please put this in a safe place (preferably outside the property) and purchase a suitable replacement.”
They concluded by urging people to share their message to “help keep communities safe”.