Legal action following fatal e-bike fire
The fire in a flat in Shadwell, UK, 5th March 2023 is considered to have been caused by a charging e-bike battery. The 2-bedroom flat was occupied by around 20 men of Bangladeshi heritage, one of whom died in the fire. Twelve of the fire survivors have engaged legal action against the e-bike manufacturer, Leon Cycle Ltd, under the UK Consumer Protection Act, and against the flat landlords. The latter have already pleaded guilty to housing offences including absence of a gas safety certificate and overcrowding. The London Fire Brigade says there is an e-bike or e-scooter fire every two days, often related to unsafe or incompatible components. The UK Government has launched a “Buy Safe Be Safe” campaign urging the public to not buy e-bikes and e-scooters from “rogue online sellers” and proposes a new ‘Product Regulation and Metrology Bill’ to strengthen product safety and marketing regulations.
Photo : London Fire Brigade aftermath of an e-bike fire Shepherd’s Bush, London, UK https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66842516
UK Government a “Buy Safe Be Safe: avoid e-bike and e-scooter fires” https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buy-safe-be-safe-avoid-e-bike-and-e-scooter-fires
UK proposed ‘Product Regulation and Metrology Bill’ https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3752
“Ebike battery fire survivors in London initiate legal claim over fatal incident”, International Fire & Safety Journal, 30th October 2024 https://internationalfireandsafetyjournal.com/ebike-battery-fire-survivors-in-london-initiate-legal-claim-over-fatal-incident/
