Baby thrown from window as ten flee ferocious house fire after e-bike battery expodes

Occupants had to flee the house as flames took hold of the building

A baby was thrown from the window of a burning home as ten people fled for their lives. About 40 firefighters battled the inferno as flames took hold of the property.

People inside the house were forced to take extreme action to make sure they could get to safety. One person dropped a tot from an upstairs window, with the baby caught by members of the public standing below.

One woman also jumped from a first-floor window and had to go to hospital after being injured as she landed. The blaze was thought to have been caused by an e-bike battery exploding.

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A total of ten people escaped from the mid-terraced house fire in Ilford, east London, on Friday, July 26. Part of the ground floor, an internal staircase and most of the first floor were damaged.

Two adults escaped through a first-floor back window, while two children and three adults escaped from a first-floor window through scaffolding. Another man managed to flee through the front door.

Three adults and one child were taken to hospital, with a further four adults and two children assessed at the scene. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Field, of London Fire Brigade, said: "This would have been a terrifying incident for all involved and it is incredibly fortunate no lives have been lost.

"Some of the occupants were sleeping but were alerted by a smoke detector that started sounding. However the spread of the fire was rapid and nine people quickly found themselves trapped upstairs.

"Fortunately, their escape was largely aided by a builder who was driving by and quickly stopped and put up a piece of scaffolding as an improvised ladder, allowing some of the occupants to come safely down. One woman who jumped from a first-floor window was taken to hospital as a result of an injury sustained whilst landing.

"A baby who was dropped from the first floor was safely caught by a member of the public before being taken to hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation alongside two others. One man, who tried to extinguish the fire, fled via the front door."

London Fire Brigade was called just before 10.15am, with the blaze brought under control by 11.50am. The fire was being treated as accidental.

Mr Field said: "This fire is yet another example in London of the dangers e-bikes and e-scooters can pose if the battery fails catastrophically and catches fire.

"In this case, the e-bike was not on charge but it was stored by the front door, which impeded the occupants’ escape. Our advice is to store and charge these items in a location away from where people live, such as in a shed or a garage, and if they have to be stored inside, make sure there is smoke detection fitted, it’s kept it in a room where you can shut a door and contain a fire and your means of escape is not obstructed.

"The man who attempted to tackle the fire was also lucky not to be seriously hurt. Fires involving lithium batteries, which power these vehicles, can be ferocious, producing jets of flame.

"The blaze is also hot enough to melt through metal. This type of fire produces a highly flammable, explosive and toxic vapour cloud which should never be inhaled.

"The fire can also be extremely challenging to put out. Our advice is to get away to safety and call 999."