An investigation has been launched into how an ‘environmentally friendly’ electric bin lorry burst into flames in central London this morning.
Specialist crews were deployed in the early hours of Monday morning after one of the £580,000 lithium battery-powered trucks caught fire, forcing roads across the West End such as Oxford Street and Duke Street to close.
The blaze raises fresh fears over the use of electric vehicles in the capital – after passengers voiced their concerns about travelling on battery-powered buses earlier this year when three of the vehicles caught fire across a 14-day period.
Fire chiefs also issued an urgent warning to e-bike owners in September after fires related to the devices’ batteries increased by 70 per cent in 2023, with 270 lithium-powered machines burning in the last year.
Westminster City Council said it would be conducting a full investigation into the cause of this morning’s fire, focusing on possible electrical faults, after it added 45 of the zero-emission trucks to its collection fleet last year.
Specialist crews were deployed in the early hours of Monday morning after one of the lithium battery-powered trucks caught ablaze
Disc cutters and saws were used by emergency responders to create access points on the vehicle’s side, allowing them to tackle the fire
Smoke was seen rising from the stationary lorry, as firefighters were seen trying to put out the inferno whilst surrounded by rubbish and other shrapnel.
Due to the risks posed by the electric vehicle such as potential reignition and toxic fumes, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) sent three teams from Paddington and a specialist Fire Rescue Unit (FRU) to the incident.
Disc cutters and saws were used by emergency responders to create access points on the vehicle’s side, allowing them to tackle the fire.
All occupants of the truck escaped without injury, as firefighting operations and investigations are ongoing.
A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said: ‘Firefighters responded to reports of a dustcart alight on Mandela Way in Soho.
‘Half of the dustcart was damaged by the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.
‘Control Officers were called at 2.10am and mobilised two fire engines and a Fire Rescue Unit from Paddington Fire Station to the scene. The incident was over for firefighters at 7.57am.’
This latest fire involving an electric vehicle heaps more pressure on London Mayor Sadiq Khan to address the issue, after three electric buses caught fire in the capital in January.
One hybrid vehicle caught fire in North Woolwich, East London, just before 7am on January 12, with onlookers shouting ‘what the f***’ as they were urged to ‘move back’.
A video showed the bus ablaze before dawn at the junction of Factory Road and Store Road, while photographs taken later in daylight showed its burnt-out shell.
The bus involved was an Alexander Dennis Enviro400 hybrid that runs on diesel and electricity, with about 900 in use across 78 routes in London.
Videos on social media show flames engulfing a vehicle inside a bus garage in Putney in January
Another London bus caught fire just before 7am on January 12 in North Woolwich
One day before, on January 11, an electric double decker burst into flames in Wimbledon
And just one day before, commuters were swiftly evacuated after a huge blast ripped the back off an Optare Metrodecker bus on route 200 in Wimbledon at 7.20am on its way to Raynes Park.
Then on January 25, a blaze tore through part of a single-deck bus inside a bus garage in Putney.
At the time, bus company Go Ahead London said in a message to its staff that it is ‘in the initial stages of an investigation’ and that a ‘precautionary fleet check’ of around 380 electric buses was underway.
Data released in September also showed that E-bike battery fires increased by 70 per cent in 2023, with 270 lithium-powered machines burning in the last year.
Fire and rescue services responded to 48 per cent more blazes from all lithium ion battery-powered devices last year than in 2022.
Serious incidents include a bike that burst into flames at Sutton station in south London during the rush hour in March.
Another horror incident involving an e-bike with a faulty battery saw a whole home engulfed in flames in Caerphilly, south Wales.
The family and their four dogs managed to escape to safety, but their home was left destroyed by the inferno.
In 2022, research from Material Focus has revealed that over 700 fires were started in bin lorries and recycling centres this year by dumped electricals.
A serious fire involving an e-bike on a platform at Sutton station, south London in March
One incident saw a whole home in Caerphilly, south Wales burnt to a crisp due to a fire started by an e-bike with a faulty battery
Batteries can be punctured by other items in the disposal process, damaging the separation between the electrodes and causing them to explode or ignite.
If batteries come into contact with another piece of metal they can also catch on fire, with nearby dry waste acting like kindling.
According to the Environmental Services Association, lithium-ion batteries are responsible for about 48 per cent of all waste fires in the UK every year.
Battery fires not only present a direct threat to the public and waste management staff, but also cost around £158 million annually in damage.
MailOnline has contacted the Mayor of London for comment.