A firefighter in London, who managed to save three children from a fire in a flat just days into his new position, has received accolades for his “composed reaction.”

Zekel Johnson, 30, was sent from the West Norwood Fire Station to an incident on London Road in Croydon, where an e-bike battery explosion had ignited a blaze in the shared corridor of the building.

“I noticed individuals at a second-floor window, frantically waving as smoke billowed out. The commanding officer indicated that someone needed to ascend the ladder at once, and I sprang into action,” Mr. Johnson recounted.

He ascended a 13.5-meter ladder, assisting one child through the window and subsequently saving two more. Additionally, he helped four adults to safety down the ladder.

Naveen Narayanasankar, a resident of the flat, stated: “I had just come home from work and was eating dinner in the kitchen when a sudden explosion from below startled us.

“I opened the door to find it filled with smoke. People downstairs were warning us about the fire.

“That jolted everyone awake, but the smoke was so thick that we struggled to see or breathe. We called the fire brigade and went to the window for assistance, where firefighters helped us escape.”

In total, six adults and three children were evaluated at the scene by the London Ambulance Service due to smoke inhalation but did not require hospitalization.

Andy Pennick, assistant commissioner for fire stations at the London Fire Brigade (LFB), remarked: “The remarkable actions of our teams during this event ensured prompt rescues and minimized the spread of the fire.

“It is uncommon for a firefighter to encounter such a significant incident so early in their career, and I want to commend Firefighter Johnson for his confident and composed efforts in rescuing this family.”

Firefighters Alex Wimbush and Virgil Mbashime, part of the initial response teams that confronted the blaze on October 28, described the fire as “extreme” and “unbelievably hot,” noting that the circumstances were unlike any they had previously experienced.

Following an investigation, the LFB determined that the likely cause of the fire was the malfunction of a lithium-ion battery pack associated with a manufactured e-bike.

The e-bike was stored in the hallway, and it was reported that the battery pack was charging shortly before the incident occurred.