Pensioner killed in ferocious house fire ‘started by e-scooter battery’

A man in his 70s has died in a house fire thought to have bee sparked by an e-scooter.

The fire service were called to a semi-detached home in Chorlton, Greater Manchester at around 3am this morning where they found a ‘significant, well-developed fire’.

The blaze spread through the ground and first floor of the home, but as firefighters used breathing kits to search the property, they sadly found the body of a man in his 70s inside.

Another man, aged in his 30s, had managed to escape the house before firefighters arrived and he was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital.

The fire was extinguished by 7am, about four hours after the fire service was called to the scene.

Police are now investigating the cause of the blaze, with forensics officers and a cordon in place, but Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service say the fire is ‘believed to have involved an e-scooter’.

One neighbour was woken up by someone running up and down the road while shouting – and feared a riot had started in their street.

The neighbour told The Sun: ‘We get quite a lot of burglaries round here and people coming down here drunk who’ve been drinking in Chorlton.

‘We thought someone had been stabbed or maybe a burglar had got injured or caught in someone’s garden.

‘We didn’t realise what was happening until we saw the blue lights.

‘We were watching horrified wondering if it would go to the next house.’

Fire service chief Ben Levy said: ‘First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has very sadly died during this devastating incident.

‘Crews remain in attendance on Ellesmere Road South and are there for anyone in the community affected by the fire and to provide reassurance.

‘I would like to commend the firefighters who did all they could in very difficult conditions in an attempt to save lives and stop the fire spreading further.

‘They worked tirelessly to minimise the impact of this fire for surrounding residents.

‘At this stage we cannot confirm the exact cause of the fire.’

Concerns have been raised by fire and rescue services across the country about the safety of e-bike and e-scooters, primarily their batteries and chargers, as several people have been killed in blazes thought to have been sparked by the devices.

Scott Peden described the horrific moment he realised he had lost his entire family – his partner, their two children, pet dogs, and their home – to an e-bike fire.

Anyone who owns an e-bike or e-scooter is advised to make sure any lithium-ion batteries or chargers they buy meet UK electrical safety requirements, and ideally buy them from a reputable seller rather than online marketplaces or through social media.

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