Shocking moment e-bike bursts into flames on busy high street in Shepherd’s Bush amid growing concerns over their safety

This is the shocking moment an e-bike bursts into flames in the middle of a busy London high street. 

The distressing scenes, shared on social media last night, show the bike being engulfed by flames reportedly on a road in Shepherds Bush, east London. 

Loud bangs can also be heard coming from the back of the bike, each time igniting sparks into the air, as members of the public watch on in horror. 

The bike could be seen strewn in a cylce lane by the side of the road, as the fire continued to rage on, causing a thick billow of smoke to surround cars along the busy street. 

It is unclear whether anyone was injured during the shocking incident. MailOnline has contacted The London Fire Brigade, The Metropolitan Police and The London Ambulance Service for comment.  

Has your e-bike burst into flames? Email: dan.woodland@mailonline.co.uk

Concerns around the safety of electric bikes have increased significantly in the past few months following a surge in the number of fires caused by the vehicles. 

One blaze last year started by a charging e-bike killed a mother and her two young children.

Gemma Germeney, 31, and her children Lilly, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, died after the blaze at the family’s two-storey maisonette.

The children’s father and Ms Germeney’s partner, Scott Peden, survived but was admitted to hospital in a critical condition.

In June last year, 41 year old Mizanur Rahman died after his east London flat was set ablaze due to faulty lithium ion batteries.

At the time, a coroner warned the OPSS of the ‘increased risk’ of fire caused by lithium-ion batteries. 

Two months later, 74-year-old Bobby Lee died after suffering ‘severe burn injuries’ and inhaling ‘toxic smoke’ when a blaze broke out in his home on Woodyard Close, Kentish Town.

Efforts from Mr Lee’s family to safely evacuate him from his ground floor bedroom were unsuccessful and the pensioner was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The fatal fire was caused by the ‘overcharging’ of a mountain bike that had been transformed via a ‘conversion kit’ to operate as an electrically powered bike.

In August last year, the London Fire Brigade revealed 40 per cent of e-bike fires are caused by conversion kits.

The brigade also said ‘fires involving lithium batteries are the fastest growing fire risk in London’ and damaged batteries can start ‘incredibly ferocious fires’.

There were 150 e-bike fires and 28 e-scooter fires recorded between the start of last year and December 15.

This was 53% higher than the figure for the whole of 2022. 

Following the spate of horrific fires, the Government issed new guidance on how to buy and use e-bikes and e-scooters safely. 

The information covers battery safety as well as how to safely store and charge an e-bike or e-scooter.

It also advises to only buy an e-cycle or scooter from a reputable seller and includes guidance on how to properly dispose of batteries.

The new guidance includes information of what to look out for and warning signs of an electrical fire.

It also reminds the public that e-scooters can only be used on the roads legally if they are part of an official rental trial.

Private e-scooters are not permitted to be legally ridden on roads or pavements in the UK, but are a common sight, particularly in urban areas.

Someone illegally using an e-scooter could face a fixed penalty notice and a fine, according to the Metropolitan Police.