Aggressive lithium-ion fires are increasing, leaving fire fighters struggling to tackle fatal blazes, reports Alycia McNamara.

The number of fires from e-bike and e-scooter explosions has more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, with 17 fires in 2023 alone.

“There has been an increase in the amount of fires we have attended in South Yorkshire,” said South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

Advice from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service includes:

• Do not leave your device charging unattended or when you’re asleep
• Do not charge or store your battery in the hallway or where it could block your escape
• Only use the correct charger for your battery
• It is recommended that only a professional carries out an e-bike conversion
• Only buy e-bikes, e-scooters and batteries from trusted retailers and manufacturers, cheap and second-hand batteries bought online are much more dangerous