Warning following e-bike conversion kit fire which destroyed flat

A warning has been issued following an e-bike conversion kit fire that destroyed a flat.
 
On 13 November 2023 at 4.49am a fire broke out in a ground floor flat on Gedling Grove in Nottingham.

The fire started in the ground floor bedroom caused by a fault in a lithium-ion battery being charged with an e-bike battery conversion kit purchased on the internet.
 
The conversion kits can be easily bought online and change conventional bikes to e-bikes with the addition of a lithium-ion battery.
 
The damage to the flat was substantial and rapid once the bed caught alight. The only room unaffected was the bathroom due to the door being shut, showing the importance of closing doors to stop fire spread.
 
The campaign comes amidst a national increase in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, often found in electrical items. Lithium-ion batteries are a common part of everyday life and are used in a wide range of applications but unfortunately, not all of them are safe.
 
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service is currently running a 'Take Charge' campaign asking people to know how to keep their electrical bikes and scooters safe.
 
Station Manager Ben Clements said: "This could easily have been a much worse incident in which people could have been seriously injured or killed.
 
"Thankfully the area in which the battery charging kit was being used  was not  blocking an escape route, meaning the occupant was able to escape. 
 
"We want to remind you to keep fire escapes clear, test your smoke alarms and shut doors so you have the best chance of survival in the event of a fire."