A fire believed to have been sparked by an e-bike battery has spread through a block of flats in Bethnal Green, east London. Seven residents and one firefighter are among 11 in hospital after the blaze broke out at Bradbeer House on Cornwall Avenue, Bethnal Green. A total of 18 flats were impacted by the fire, with residents forced to leave their homes for safety.

The blaze was reportedly first spotted just before midnight when passersby saw thick smoke around the building. Police have not confirmed the source of the incident, but witness accounts suggest that it was sparked by lithium batteries from a second-hand electric bike. E-bike and e-scooter fires are on the rise, according to London Fire Brigade data, with more than 150 incidents recorded in London last year.

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