Terrifying moment e-bike owner runs for his life when cycle explodes into a deadly fireball

The terrifying moment an e-bike owner had to run for his life when it exploded in a fireball, producing a cloud of toxic fumes, was captured on camera.

Firefighters say the bike caught fire in a block of flats in Roehampton, southwest London, on Saturday, May 20.

CCTV footage from the entrance to Avi Gooransingh’s home shows the battery erupting violently.

The explosion quickly created a white and gray-colored, highly flammable and toxic vapor cloud in the air, which ignited into a fireball a second later.

Hospital chief Mr Gooransingh, 29, said the bike had produced a strange smell and removed it from his flat just before narrowly escaping the fireball.

The bike is leaning against a wall when suddenly thick smoke billows from the bus

He shares the apartment with his mother and sister, and although they were left in shock, no one was hurt.

The fire brigade was quickly on the scene and safely extinguished the fire.

The London fire brigade has not been able to determine exactly why the bicycle exploded, but Mr Gooransingh knew something was wrong because of the stench.

Mr Gooransingh, who used his e-bike to commute to and from work, said: ‘I came home and there was such a strong smell.

“I asked my sister if she used nail polish remover, but she replied no and said it came from my bike.

“I smelled the engine and I immediately thought something was wrong, so I thought the safest thing to do was get the bike out of the flat.

“When the engine exploded, I panicked. I thought my family would die, especially if I hadn’t moved it. My sister and I ran back to the flat and dialed 999.”

The startling video reinforces why London Fire Brigade (LFB) is running its ChargeSafe campaign, which aims to highlight the fire risks associated with lithium batteries commonly used in e-bikes.

The brigade has been called out to 52 e-bike and 12 e-scooter fires so far in 2023, including one incident that sadly proved fatal on New Year’s Day.

The bike left scorch marks all over the wall and floor after the battery exploded

Plumes of fire erupt violently from the e-bike as it rested against a wall in an apartment building

The corridor was quickly filled with a cloud of poisonous fumes, fire and smoke

LFB Deputy Commissioner Dom Ellis said: ‘While we are not sure why this particular battery failed, we do know that Avi’s e-bike was purchased second-hand and that an additional battery pack was fitted, bought from an online marketplace. .

“Cheaper batteries bought from online sources that don’t necessarily meet UK safety regulations are more likely to fail and present an increased risk of fire.

‘Our advice is also to buy from a reputable seller. As the video clearly shows, once the engine goes into thermal runaway, a fast and violent fire can ensue.

Fortunately, Avi and his family were unharmed. No doubt this could have ended much more seriously and so our advice is to store these items in a safe place if possible, such as a garage or shed rather than inside the house.’

Mr Gooransingh says the experience has put him off taking an e-bike or scooter.

He said, “I’m certainly shocked by what happened and I definitely don’t have one left in the house.”

He added: ‘If you have an e-bike or scooter I would recommend charging and storing it outside, and if you can’t then seriously think about buying one. ‘

As part of the campaign, LFB has outlined safety tips for e-bike and e-scooter users, urging people not to block escape routes, check that the battery and charger meet UK safety standards and always carry the correct and official charger from using a reputable seller.

People should also let the battery cool down before charging, unplug the charger once it’s finished charging and set alarms wherever they’re charging, experts warned.