Shannen HeadleyWest Midlands
WMFS
Natasha Johnson-Mall and Karlo Bogdan were killed in the fire
A woman is urging people to beware of the dangers posed by modified e-bikes after a fire caused the death of her sister and her boyfriend.
Natasha Johnson-Mall and Karlo Bogdan died after fire tore through their home in The Coppice in Stoke Aldermore, Coventry, on 8 November, also killing their dogs Tyagi and Medusa.
West Midlands Fire Service said the blaze started when the batteries on an e-bike ignited and “rapidly escalated into an intense blaze”.
Natasha’s sister Ehsia Johnson-Mall said: “Something as simple as a mismatch in battery and charger can be devastating.”
Handout
Natasha Johnson-Mall (left), pictured with her sister Ehesia, died last year after a modified e-bike caught fire overnight
“I can’t stress enough that you make sure your charger and battery are compatible.”
It is believed the battery attached to the converted bike was purchased via a private seller on an online market place, said charity Electrical Safety First.
Ms Johnson-Mall has joined in a campaign with the charity ahead of Christmas.
It urges customers considering purchasing conversion kits and e-bike batteries to stick to reputable high street retailers and avoid doing any such modification themselves.
She said: “I would do anything to have just one second with her, just so I could tell her that she’s going to be an auntie.
“And just give her a kiss and a cuddle and say I love you. Karlo had no clue his converted e-bike posed this sort of danger.
“These are fires that are so fast-acting, they consume your whole environment within seconds, and the fumes and toxicity that the fire projects are lethal. “
West Midlands Fire Service
The whole of the couple’s home was badly damaged in the blaze
The deaths of the couple were ruled accidental at an inquest in February.
Ms Johnson-Mall said: “I think people think that if you can buy a battery from a well-known marketplace that it must be okay.
“Externally a product might appear safe but that might not be true.
“It’s important for people to understand there are reasons why certain products cost so much money, and it’s because they must go through rigorous safety testing.
“If you can’t afford a proper well-made e-bike, simply don’t have one. My life will never be the same because my sister is no longer here.”
Electrical Safety First is also warning buyers not to install conversion kits or modify bikes themselves.
Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at the charity, warned shoppers in the lead up to Christmas.
“Substandard e-bike batteries and poorly made conversion kits can pose a unique threat, unlike other products, because of how much energy is stored in the batteries.
“If they are substandard or fail, the fires can be so powerful they can decimate a room in seconds.
“If you’re thinking of buying components to make up an e-bike, it’s imperative you stick to a reputable source and don’t convert your bike yourself, seek out a professional.”
