Cambridgeshire firefighters issue e-bike warning after fatal house fire that killed woman and two children

Cambridgeshire firefighters have issued a warning over the safety of e-bikes following a fire in the county which saw a woman and two children killed.

Gemma Germeney, 31, died at the scene of the blaze in Sackville Close, Cambridge on Friday morning. Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, were taken to hospital where they sadly later died. A man in his 30s remains in hospital in a critical condition.

An investigation into the fire has revealed the most likely cause was an e-bike.

Area Commander Stuart Smith, from Cambridgeshire fire and Rescue Service, said: "Fire service and specialist fire investigators, together with police forensic teams and a fire dog, have spent the weekend carrying out a thorough investigation of the maisonette. A fire investigation looks for the most probable cause and in this case, we believe that to be an electric bike that was charging.

"We know e-bikes and e-scooters are popular modes of personal transport at the moment and we are urging anyone with one to be aware of the potential risks and follow simple precautions to reduce the likelihood of the batteries overheating.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service have now issued advice to residents to ensure they stay safe from fire at home.

E-bike and e-scooter safety advice:

Avoid charging the battery overnight

Do not leave charging for any longer than it needs to fully charge

Plug the cable into a main socket rather than an extension lead

Do not cover the battery with anything while charging

Make sure you use the battery recommended by the manufacturer

Always use the manufacturer approved charger for the product, and if you spot any signs of wear and tear or damage buy an official replacement charger for your product from a reputable seller

Ensure you have working smoke alarms on every floor of your home and in the room where you charge the bike/scooter.

General fire safety advice:

Close internal doors at night - have this as part of your bedtime routine

Keep stairs clear and keys to external door and windows in places that are easy to access if you need to escape in an emergency

Ensure everyone in your house knows what to do if a fire breaks out and practice this

Ensure smoking materials are fully out and don’t smoke when tired

Ensure open fires are properly out before you go to bed.

Stuart concluded: "In the aftermath of Friday’s tragedy, I’d urge everyone to check their home for potential fire risks. There is an online tool on our website that can be used to highlight areas to think about. It isn’t just e-bikes and e-scooters, we have so many electrical gadgets these days that all require charging, people just need to be aware of the risks and put steps in place to ensure they are being charged safety. You can also complete the online tool for older or other vulnerable family members too who may not live with you and may have other habits or risk factors that make them vulnerable such as they smoke or have limited mobility which may prevent them from being able to escape if a fire took hold. In these cases, our specialist fire prevention officers will visit in person and carry out an assessment.”

The tragedy in Cambridge came just a few days after a fire in Crabtree, Peterborough, claimed the lives of two people.

Urszula Stankiewicz (38) and Adrian Bochentyn (29) both died as a result of the blaze on June 19.

An inquest into their deaths was opened last week.

The fire was started accidentally – but no further details of the fire have been released by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service