Suddenly, an e-bike erupted in flames at the Sutton Railway Station in London. The CCTV footage that covered the whole incident is nothing short of harrowing. It has prompted the fire brigade to issue cautionary advisories to people about e-bikes, especially ones purchased online.
The incident occurred on 21st March when the back owner was at the platform awaiting his train to Crystal Palace. The owner purchased the e-bike four months ago from an online marketplace. The bike had no prior issues; however, after it erupted in flames, the firefighters stationed at Sutton Railway Station acted professionally and dealt with the situation.
The intensity of the fire took the Station Officer aback. He believed that if the incident had occurred while the rider was on the bike, the outcome could have been grim. He also highlighted the importance of buying e-bikes from reputable distributors to ensure that the quality of the products and associated accessories has not been compromised. He said people should avoid buying e-bikes from online marketplaces because there is a higher risk of faulty batteries and chargers.
E-bike fire incidents have increased, and this was not a one-off incident. Deputy Commissioner Charlie Pugsley has asked the manufacturers of e-bikes and transporters to conduct fire risk assessments to ensure no untoward incident occurs. He also believes that certification standards for third parties should be stricter.
Lesley Rudd, chief executive of Electrical Safety First, also believes that e-bike safety issues must be addressed. Rudd believes that policymaking at the government level to ensure QC for third-party manufacturers would have a massive impact on these issues.
The Sutton e-bike incident has once again brought to life the debate surrounding the safety of e-bikes. The only way forward today is for authorities, industry stakeholders, and consumers to work in concert to mitigate these issues. Also, the safety of individuals will only be ensured when there is close collaboration between all stakeholders and all work towards a safer environment for commuters using e-bikes.