A FAMILY has been left homeless after a fire, caused by an electric scooter, destroyed their flat.

Firefighters were called to reports of a blaze in a ground floor flat at 12:40am in Wayletts, Laindon.  

Two crews attended the incident where a fire was found in the bedroom.

Following an investigation, it was found an e-scooter battery exploded, setting the mattress and bedding alight.

The family has now been left homeless due to the damage caused by the fire, and the smoke throughout the flat.

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Other residents in the three-storey building had to leave their flats until the fire was fully extinguished and the building was safe, at 1.43am.

Mark Blakebrough, watch manager, said: “An e-scooter battery exploded and set the mattress and bedding alight, which caused the fire to spread very rapidly.

“Thankfully the property had working smoke alarms which alerted the occupants to the fire quickly and crews did a really good job of containing the fire to the bedroom.

“Unfortunately, the bedroom was badly damaged by fire and the rest of the flat had filled with smoke, so the flat is uninhabitable.

“The incident shows the dangers of charging or keeping e-scooters inside because lithium batteries can overheat and ignite."

“I'd like to thank the residents for being so patient and offering their support.”

Essex Fire and Rescue Service have given out safety advice to owners and buyers of electric scooters.

  • Buy from a reputable retailer and follow the manufacturer's guidance on charging and storing.
  • Store your e-scooter outside and away from escape routes.
  • Always charge during the day when you are at home.
  • Do not over-charge – once your item is fully charged, disconnect it, and turn the charger off.
  • Always unplug after use.
  • Register it at registermyappliance.
  • Avoid storing, using, or charging batteries at very high or low temperatures.
  • Check your battery regularly. If it gets damaged it could cause a fire.