Inquest hears e-bike battery in fatal Cambridge house fire had been repaired

Centre · 1An inquest has heard that an e-bike battery linked to a fire that killed a mother and her two children in Cambridge had been taken for repairs before the blaze. 1 Mixed · 2Gemma Germeney, 31, and her children Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, died in the fire at their home in Sackville Close, Cambridge, on 30 June 2023; the children's father, Scott Peden, survived. 1 2 Right · 1The Daily Mail reported that about 30 firefighters from six crews attended at around 1am, that the house was destroyed, and that Peden was in a coma for a month afterwards. 2

Mixed · 2Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said at the time that the most probable cause was an e-bike that was charging. 1 2 Centre · 1Peden told the inquest he bought the bike online for £900 in what was advertised as perfect working order. After the battery was stolen he said he could not afford a new one and bought a second-hand replacement around 9 June, which seemed slow to charge and then cut out. 1 Mixed · 2On a colleague's recommendation, Peden visited repairman Stoil Severinov. Peden said he was told the battery was too powerful for the fuse, and the fuse was changed for £30. 1 2

Centre · 1Peden said the battery cut out again and he returned alone. He said he was told it needed replacing but, having nothing in the bank until payday, asked if anything could be done. He said Severinov offered to bypass the cells as a temporary fix, and that he was not told of any risks. 1 Mixed · 2Peden said he heard a "massive bang" through the house on the night of the fire. 1 2 Centre · 1Severinov, giving evidence through an interpreter, said he repaired bikes and e-bikes. He said he changed the socket and fuse on the first visit and only the fuse on the second, and that he told Peden it was a temporary fix and that a new battery was needed. He said he had "never done anything to the battery cells" and lacked the expertise. 1

Right · 1Miles Bennett, representing Peden, told the court Severinov had told investigators he did not supply lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes. Severinov replied that he did not sell batteries and had been saying he could get one for Peden. 2 Mixed · 2The court heard Severinov was interviewed under caution by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, which has primacy over any criminal proceedings. It said no final decision had been made on whether to start proceedings against any individuals or organisations. 1 2 Mixed · 2Pen portraits from Peden and from Germeney's mother were read out, the latter describing the family as "our complete world". Since the fire, Peden has campaigned for a complete ban on the sale of lithium batteries for e-scooters and e-bikes, saying in 2024 there was a "desperate need for a change in regulation". 1 2