This is the moment a family home was destroyed in seconds by a raging fire sparked when an e-bike exploded just days before Christmas.
One man fell from the roof while waiting to be rescued from the housefire caused by a battery on a charging second-hand e-bike in Catford, south east London, on December 14.
Footage from a doorbell camera at a neighbour’s home shows just how quickly the property became engulfed in fire, with loud explosions startling neighbours.
Three people were inside the house when the e-bike’s lithium battery burst into flames on the first floor sending toxic smoke pouring through the house.
Two family members stuck in the loft found their escape blocked by the huge fire. With the room becoming consumed by toxic smoke, they had no choice but to climb through a skylight window and onto the pitched roof.
A man fell from the roof waiting for firefighters to arrive and was discovered lying in the garden suffering serious injuries. A woman also fled to the roof before slipping and falling into the arms of a firefighter. She was treated for smoke inhalation.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Field said: “This was a devastating fire that has destroyed most of a family home.
“It’s fortunate that no lives have been lost, given how quickly the blaze took hold, and the fact that two people ended up being trapped by the fire. I’d like to commend the actions of the firefighter who’s quick-thinking stopped the woman falling off the roof to the ground.”
He said the e-bike had been converted from a normal bike and was on charge at the time of the fire – a type his force are called out to once a day across the capital on average.
He added: “The bike had been purchased second-hand from an online marketplace and we also know that the charger being used was generic and not specific to the battery pack.
“If you’re planning on buying an e-bike or e-scooter for yourself or a loved one for Christmas and you see an offer online that seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
