Woman jumps off third floor balcony to escape fire

A woman who jumped from a third floor balcony to escape an e-bike battery fire has been taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The blaze broke out at the flat on Reculver Road in Lewisham, south-east London, at about 11:15 BST on Sunday.

It is believed to have been caused by a catastrophic failure of an e-bike battery that had been charging in the flat's hallway for about 12 hours, according to London Fire Brigade (LFB).

Deputy assistant commissioner Richard Field said: "This incident highlights why you should always ensure your escape route is clear and why we recommend to never charge your e-bike or e-scooter on your means of escape, such as a hallway or by your front door."

He added: "Although working smoke alarms helped alert the occupants quickly to this fire, a woman found herself trapped inside a bedroom with smoke travelling in.

"She decided to go out onto the balcony and jump to the ground, three storeys high.

"She has unfortunately sustained a quite serious injury due to the fall and we wish her well in her recovery."

A man was rescued by firefighters and treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

A record 206 e-bike fires were reported in the capital last year. In 2026, there have already been more than 30.

If lithium batteries end up overheating, crushing, penetrating or overcharging, a fault can occur within damaged battery cells which could cause the battery to catch fire and explode, the LFB says.

The brigade recommends buying batteries from reputable sellers, avoiding mismatching the charger and never charging batteries while unattended or asleep.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk