Domestic building fire

At 11.10pm on Wednesday (24 Jan) crews from Luton and Stopsley were called to a fire in a ground floor flat of a four-storey block in Bute Street, Luton. 
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels, jets and thermal imaging camera to extinguish the fire. 50% of the flat was destroyed by fire and 100% damaged by smoke. All floors were assessed with a gas monitor to confirm safe reoccupation of other residents.  
One adult male was taken to hospital by the ambulance service in critical condition. 
A fire investigation determined the fire started accidentally. The most probable cause was a fault with a lithium-ion battery pack in an e-bike. 
A fire service spokesperson said: “The majority of fires related to e-bikes and e-scooters have happen in homes and are often caused when charging batteries. Batteries should always be charged on hard, flat surfaces, and should never be left to charge unattended or while you’re asleep. Always unplug your charger once it’s finished charging. 
“Remember, never block escape routes with e-bikes or e-scooters, and store and charge them away from a main exit route out of your home. 
“Please pay special attention to bike conversion kits. Do not attempt to modify or tamper with the battery. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.