Gemma Germeney, 31, Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, all died after a fire at a flat in Sackville Close, Cambridge, with the children’s dad, Scott Peden, left in a coma for a month
A “modified” e-bike sparked a horror blaze at a family home killing a mum and her two young children, aged four and eight, an inquest has heard.
Gemma Germeney, 31, Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, all died in the tragic Cambridge fire on June 30, 2023.
The two family dogs were also killed in the blaze, at the family’s flat in Sackville Close in the city, while the children’s dad, Scott Peden, was left in a coma for a month.
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The fire service said that the most probable cause of the fire was an e-bike that was charging at the time of the horror blaze.
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.”
Miles Bennett, counsel for Scott Peden, who listened to Tuesday’s proceedings online, 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 “the purchase of the bike, the battery being stolen, the modification” would be outlined at the full inquest, as part of the background to the case.
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).”
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.”
Coroner Elizabeth Gray 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 tragically passed away.
Mr Peden, who lost his partner and two children, has called for urgent e-bike safety measures following the tragedy. Speaking in 2024, he said that before the fire he “had no idea about the dangers of these lithium-ion batteries” adding that there was a “desperate need for a change in regulation”.
