Firefighters have issued an e-bike safety warning after a man was taken to hospital following a flat fire in Deptford.

Crews were called to a flat fire in Sterling Gardens yesterday (March 19) at 4.50am.

A communal entrance hall of a three story residential building was completely destroyed by a fire.

A small part of a three roomed flat on the ground floor was also damaged by the blaze.

One man was treated on scene by fire crews and taken to hospital.

The fire was under control by 5.31am.

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Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters from Deptford and New Cross fire stations attended the scene.

The fire is believed to be accidental and caused by a fault with an e-bike lithium-ion battery.

Firefighters have issued an e-bike warning urging people to store and charge the e-bikes in a safe location.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “It’s incredibly concerning we are continuing to see a rise in incidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters.

“When these batteries and chargers fail, they do so with ferocity and because the fires develop so rapidly the situation can quickly become incredibly serious.

“Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes which have been converted.

"We are predominantly seeing fires where batteries have been purchased from online marketplaces. When they've been sourced on the internet, they may not meet the correct safety standards.

“Our advice is to store and charge these items in a safe location if possible, such as in a shed or a garage, and if they have to be stored inside, make sure there is smoke detection fitted and your means of escape is not obstructed.

“However, we know this won’t be possible for everyone, so if you are charging them indoors, please follow our advice on safe charging and ensure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire.

“We would also suggest people try not to charge them when they are asleep, so that if there is an issue they can react quickly.”