Fire brigade chiefs are warning people of the danger posed by lithium ion batteries after a fire—which has been blamed on an e-bike—killed a woman and two young children.
Gemma Germeney, 31, died in the fire in Cambridge in the early hours of Friday and her children, Lilly Peden, 8, and Oliver Peden, 4, were taken to hospital where they both later died.
The children’s father, Scott Peden, survived but is critically ill in hospital with serious burn injuries.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said they believed the fire started accidentally and was most probably caused by an e-bike, which had been left charging.
Area Cmdr. Stuart Smith said, “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.”
Lithium ion batteries contain a great deal of energy and when they overheat, it often causes a rapid fire which can spread rapidly.
The authorities in New York said there had been 59 e-bike fires this year and last year six people died in fires which were linked to e-bikes.
The London Fire Brigade wrote on Twitter last week: “Fires involving lithium batteries are the fastest growing fire risk in London. We’ve attended at least 82 fires involving an e-bike or e-scooter so far in 2023.”
Electric bikes have become increasingly popular young people and also for those who want to commute to work, travel around a city, or make deliveries.
‘Incredibly Concerning’
After a fire caused by an e-bike in a flat in West Kensington, London Fire Brigade said the number of blazes caused by them was “incredibly concerning.”A London Fire Brigade spokesman said, “Lithium batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used and there is a significant risk posed by e-bikes which have been converted.”
He warned: “Conversion kits allow people to add an electric motor to their bikes but not all of them are sold with a battery. Cheaper batteries purchased from online sources which don’t necessarily adhere to UK safety regulations are more likely to fail and present an increased fire risk.”
London Fire Brigade warned people not to try their own DIY adaptations.
“Lithium batteries store a significant amount of energy in a very small space and are much more powerful compared to other types of batteries. If that energy is released in an uncontrolled way, then a fire or explosion may result,” said a fire brigade spokesman.
“If there is overheating, crushing, penetrating or overcharging, then a fault can occur within damaged battery cells which may cause the battery to catch fire and/or explode,” he added.
New York Gets Grant for Charging Points
On June 25, the U.S. federal government gave New York’s mayor, Eric Adams, an emergency grant of $25 million to create charging stations across the city for e-bikes.In 2022 London Fire Brigade attended 87 fires caused by e-bikes and 29 caused by e-scooters.
E-scooters have been banned from the London Underground and from the capital’s buses since 2021 following a series of fires.
Lithium batteries can also be a danger if used to charge laptops, mobile phones or other electrical devices.
