Cambridge father was not warned of e-bike battery risks before fire killed his partner and two children

From the Newshound archive · first published 9 October 2026 · last updated 10 October 2026.

Scott Peden, 33, told Huntingdon Coroner's Court he received no warning about the dangers of a modified e-bike battery before it exploded, killing his partner Gemma Germeney, 31, their eight-year-old daughter Lilly and four-year-old son Oliver at their Cambridge home in the early hours of 30 June 2023. Repairman Stoil Severinov had bypassed failing battery cells rather than replacing them, and Peden had intended to purchase a new battery on payday — but the fire broke out first.

The e-bike was charging beneath the stairs, which blocked the only exit and left the family TRAPPED on the first floor.

Forensic investigators concluded the 'failure of a lithium battery' was the most probable cause; neighbours dialled 999 after hearing explosions and screaming.

Peden, who escaped by jumping from a window and spent a month in a coma, said Gemma 'was my world' and that he relives the memories of that night every day.