don’t risk your life or home when charging scooters and EVs

Lives and homes are being put at risk by people failing to charge their electric vehicles and scooters safely.

believe housing, which manages more than 18,000 homes in the northeast of England, is raising the alarm over an increase in fires and near misses involving electric vehicles, e-bikes, e-scooters and mobility scooters. 

The housing association reports that improperly charging these devices is posing serious risks to both residents and homes. 

One incident underscores the dangers. 

A block of flats in Durham had to be evacuated when a mobility scooter, being charged outside using an extension lead trailed from a second-floor bedroom, burst into flames. 

The fire spread along the building’s exterior, producing thick smoke on the ground floor, triggering alarms, and prompting a full evacuation of the building. 

While nobody suffered serious injuries, several elderly residents were treated for smoke inhalation and shock, and the incident caused approximately £10,000 of damage. 

Fire investigators concluded that the blaze started because of the age and poor condition of the extension lead, which melted and caused the cable drum to ignite. 

In a bid to raise awareness and prevent similar incidents, believe housing has released details of the blaze, which happened in October 2022, during its third annual Electrical Safety Week. 

Nik Welsh, Executive Director of Communities and Customer Services at believe housing, said: “It is vital that people store and charge EVs, e-bikes, e-scooters and mobility scooters safely and always follow the manufacturer’s advice. 

“Failure to do so could lead to a fire and put lives and their home at risk. 

“We have experienced this and, tragically, there have been significant and fatal incidents in other parts of the country. 

“We desperately want to prevent this happening again so are urging customers to stay safe and follow our safety advice and that of device manufacturers.” 

During Electrical Safety Week, believe housing is sharing potentially lifesaving tips to help customers avoid accidents, including: 

• Avoid charging phones in bed while sleeping or they can overheat and start a fire – ensure children follow this advice. 

• Do not overload power sockets and extension leads – a typical four-plug extension should not exceed 13 amps. 

• Only use qualified electricians for electrical work – customers of believe housing should check its home improvement guide to see what is allowed. 

More advice can be found at www.believehousing.co.uk/safety-in-your-home/