23 Oct 24
A fire that led to about 30 people being evacuated from a residential tower block in east London was caused by the failure of a lithium battery, London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.
The balcony and interior of a flat on the tenth floor of the 15-floor block on Queens Road West, Plaistow, were alight when firefighters arrived after being alerted at about 08:00 BST by multiple calls to the emergency services.
The blaze was brought under control by crews using a crane to reach the flames and douse them out.
London Ambulance Service also said it treated two patients – one was taken to hospital as a priority and other was released at the scene. The LFB has said its investigation team believe the fire was started accidentally, caused by the failure of a lithium battery. They also said three people left the building before they arrived on the scene.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Stratford and surrounding fire stations were at the scene responding to a flat fire on Queens Road West in Plaistow.
The brigade has said on X (formerly Twitter) that although the fire was now under control, traffic in the area would be impacted as crews remain on scene.
The fire was located in a three bedroom flat on the 10th floor, in a residential block of 15 floors. The flats interior and balcony were both destroyed by the fire. Balconies on the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th floors, directly above the fire, were also heavily damaged by flames.
The Brigade’s Control Officers took over 30 calls reporting the fire, with the first received at 0802. Crews were able to bring the fire under control by 0903, with firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Stratford and surrounding fire stations at the scene.
The Brigade’s fire investigation team believe the fire was started accidentally, caused by the failure of a lithium battery.
There a number of ways you can reduce the risks when charging lithium batteries:
- Reduce the risk of overheating
- Batteries can get warm during their use. Allow them to cool down before attempting to re-charge.
- Batteries should always be charged on hard flat surfaces where heat can dissipate.
- Batteries can also pose a risk if they have been damaged, so try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried. Do not continue to use a damaged battery.
- Batteries should also never be exposed to extremes of temperature.
- Keep an eye out for warning signs that your battery might be failing and becoming a fire risk.
