Urgent warning issued after e-bike explodes into flames at busy London railway ... trends now
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The London Fire Brigade have issued an urgent warning after an e-bike exploded at a busy railway station in the capital.
Shocking footage shows the e-bike burst into flames at rush hour on the platform at Sutton Station in south London.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Fire crews were called to the scene on Thursday, March 21 at 5.32pm as commuters made their way home.
The bike's owner Sahab Singh, 25, bought it from an online marketplace four months beforehand with no issues arising since the purchase.
He was travelling to Crystal Palace on the train and fortunately was waiting on the platform when bike caught alight.
He said: 'I never had any problems with the e-bike until the day of the fire.
'I was travelling to work in Crystal Palace. The bike started smoking on the train platform and then burst into flames. I feel lucky that I escaped and no one was injured. It was very scary.'
Station Officer Nigel McLachlan was at the scene of the incident, he said: 'The fire was really ferocious and happened extremely quickly.
'It would have been devastating if the timings had worked out differently. I hate to think of the tragic consequences it could have had. Thankfully no one was injured.
'This incident only serves to highlight that when buying these products, it's very important to purchase them from a reputable high street seller so you know the full history of the purchase.
'If items are bought from online marketplaces, there is more risk that the bike is sold without the correct battery and charger which can lead to a catastrophic fire.'
Deputy Commissioner Charlie Pugsley said: 'Following this e-bike fire, we're reminding businesses, including rail operators, to carefully consider their fire risk assessments and we're encouraging transport operators to consider whether they have adequate safety measures in place should an e-bike fire happen on their service.'
People were sitting on a bench near the e-bike as smoke poured out of it just seconds before it exploded