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I would like to express how devastating it was for a mother whose house was destroyed by a fire caused by a modified e-bike. Emma Wills, who had only moved into the Chilworth property five months prior, found her life turned upside down when a charging modified e-bike caught fire in her living room at the end of January. This tragic incident not only left her family homeless but also resulted in the loss of one of her kittens. Emma shared her heartbreak over the sudden destruction of everything she owned, saying, “To go from a fresh start to losing everything so quickly has been devastating.”
The e-bike responsible for the fire had been modified using a conversion kit purchased online. It was later revealed that 23% of push-bike owners in the UK were contemplating turning their push-bikes into e-bikes, leading to concerns about the safety of these conversion kits. Electrical Safety First, a consumer safety charity, highlighted the risks associated with these kits, emphasizing that they are cheaper than fully manufactured e-bikes but pose significant dangers due to the lack of safety standards. Giuseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer, warned that substandard components in these kits could lead to catastrophic fires.
For Mrs. Wills, the fire not only destroyed her home but also all the sentimental keepsakes that held memories of her late mother. The loss of these irreplaceable items added to the already immense tragedy she was facing. Mrs. Wills, who is a mother of three, expressed how deeply the incident has affected her children, especially the youngest ones who are now fearful of going outside. The family also mourned the loss of their beloved kitten, which had been a cherished part of their lives since it was hand-reared from a very young age.
In 2024, the Office for Product Safety and Standards received 170 reports of e-bike fires, with 45% of them confirmed to be from converted e-bikes. However, experts believe that the actual number of incidents involving converted e-bikes is likely higher, as not all fire and rescue services report such cases to the OPSS. This concerning trend highlights the importance of understanding the risks associated with modified e-bikes and the need for stricter safety regulations in this rapidly evolving industry
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