Waterloo Tower Blocks

### Reader’s Letter to The Guardian, 24th June 2024 ###

Dear Editor,

I was reflecting on Matthew Weaver’s recent article on the horrific e-bike battery-fire which killed Scott Peden’s family and was reminded of a recent train-journey that I took into Waterloo Station …

At Farnborough, as we boarded the train, we saw signs that the rail-company had recently changed their policy and that e-scooters were now banned on trains. Obviously they had recognised the danger.

Then, as the train approached Waterloo, the skyline was dominated by newly-built residential tower-blocks. By the range of items relegated to the balconies, the flats were obviously very small. Here, with the risk of theft being high, I wondered how many people either take their e-bikes or e-scooters up to their flats or, alternatively, unclip the battery to charge that overnight in the flat. I am sure there is a good number of people who do that.

So, if lithium batteries (e.g. in computers) are dangerous enough for airlines to refuse to carry in the hold and for train companies to ban e-scooters on their trains, how long will it be before the combustion of a lithium-battery causes a major catastrophe in a tower-block?

And, if that block is fitted with polystyrene insulation-cladding, then the danger is dramatically increased and could easily result in another Grenfell-Tower-type event.

My conclusion here is that maybe we should be pedaling our bikes rather than charging their batteries?

Yours,
Alan Mitcham