Modified e-bike caused fire that killed mother and two children, inquest hears
Gemma Germeney and her two children all died after a fire at a flat in Cambridge in 2023.
A modified e-bike caused a fire which led to the deaths of a mother and her two young children, an inquest heard.
Gemma Germeney, 31, Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, all died after a fire at a flat in Sackville Close, Cambridge on June 30, 2023.
The fire service said at the time that the most probable cause of the fire was an e-bike that was charging.
Cambridgeshire area coroner Elizabeth Gray told a pre-inquest review hearing: “I don’t think it’s disputed it was modified and caused the fire.”
The children’s father. Scott Peden, who was in a coma for a month after the blaze, listened to Tuesday’s proceedings online.
Ms Germeney’s parents and other family members attended the hearing in Huntingdon in person.
The coroner explained that the hearing was originally to be a full inquest, but there had been an application by solicitors for Mr Peden asking for further matters to be considered.
Miles Bennett, counsel for Mr Peden, asked that a person referred to in court only as Mr Severinov be considered as a witness and given interested person status in proceedings.
Mr Bennett said that “someone carried out a modification, quick fix, to that lithium battery”.
“Within a very short time after that quick fix was carried out there was a tumultuous fire at Mr Peden’s address,” he said.
He said he found it “difficult to fathom that someone who may be responsible for carrying out” the modification may not be given interested person status.
“It seemed to us that a person who may be central to how this happened should at the very least be a witness,” Mr Bennett said.
The coroner said that at the full inquest, background to the case would be outlined, and she referenced “the purchase of the bike, the battery being stolen, the modification”.
Mr Bennett said: “I’ve no idea if there will be civil proceedings.
“I’ve no idea if there will be a prosecution by the OPSS (Office for Product Safety and Standards, part of the government Department for Business and Trade).”
Mr Bennett also raised concern about smoke alarms.
Fire investigator Steve Fleming said smoke alarms were found in the property.
“Due to the intensity of the fire it was nearly impossible to forensically look at the smoke alarms,” Mr Fleming said.
“We did do further inquiries and there were regular checks of the property for those.
“Due to where the fire was, smoke alarms may not have been a relevant factor in this, and due to the escape route being blocked due to the fire itself.”
Alexandra Tampakopoulos, counsel for the OPSS, said: “If we have Mr Severinov giving evidence about the purchase of the battery and interactions with Mr Peden, it would be a little strange not to have Mr Peden give evidence.”
The coroner adjourned proceedings, with a two-day full inquest hearing to take place on a date to be fixed, likely to be August or later.
Cambridgeshire Police said at the time that Ms Germeney died at the scene in Sackville Close and the two children were taken to hospital where they both died.
Mr Peden, who lost his partner and two children, has called for urgent e-bike safety measures.
Speaking in 2024, he said that before the fire he “had no idea about the dangers of these lithium-ion batteries” and there was a “desperate need for a change in regulation”.