The phone call started like any other, a playful back-and-forth with her sister, Natasha. Then came the chilling words, spoken with a strange, unsettling lightness: “I’ve set the flat on fire.” Ehsia, initially dismissing it as a morbid joke, sharply rebuked Natasha, demanding she stop being ridiculous.
But the laughter never came. A growing dread seized Ehsia as she tried to call Natasha back, each unanswered ring amplifying her fear. Within moments, a terrifying certainty washed over her – Natasha and her friend, Karlo, were gone.
Driven by a desperate hope that it wasn’t true, Ehsia raced from Birmingham to Coventry, her heart pounding with each mile. She arrived to find the street sealed off, a scene of chaos and devastation. Ignoring the police barricades, she pushed through, “kicking, screaming, crying,” utterly hysterical in her need to see for herself.
The source of the tragedy was a self-converted e-bike. Its battery, purchased from a private seller online, had ignited while charging overnight, quickly engulfing Natasha’s flat in flames. Karlo, unaware of the hidden danger, had simply wanted a convenient way to travel.
Ehsia’s world shattered. The loss was an “indescribable pain,” a constant ache that threatened to consume her. Natasha had always dreamed of being an aunt, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Ehsia’s children.
Now, 33 weeks pregnant, Ehsia feels the weight of that lost future. Her lifelong dream of motherhood is shadowed by the devastating reality of Natasha’s absence, a constant reminder of what should have been. She wonders how she will ever explain to her child how extraordinary their auntie was.
Growing up, the sisters shared a special bond, weaving dreams of the day Ehsia would have children and Natasha would embrace her role as a beloved aunt. Those shared visions now feel like fragments of a broken promise.
As Christmas approaches, Ehsia and the charity Electrical Safety First are issuing a desperate plea. They urge anyone considering an e-bike, e-scooter, or conversion kit to choose reputable retailers, avoiding the hidden dangers of the online marketplace. Recent research shows nearly one in ten Britons are contemplating such a purchase this holiday season.
Ehsia doesn’t want another family to endure the agony she’s experiencing. These fires, she warns, are terrifyingly swift, consuming everything in seconds, releasing lethal fumes. The illusion of safety offered by online marketplaces is a dangerous deception.
Conversion kits, designed to transform regular bikes into e-bikes, often require buyers to source batteries and chargers separately. Substandard batteries are the primary culprit, posing a grave fire risk. The ease with which these potentially dangerous kits are sold online is a growing concern.
“Externally a product might appear safe, but that might not be true,” Ehsia emphasizes. She stresses the critical importance of ensuring compatibility between battery and charger, warning that even a simple mismatch can have devastating consequences. She implores people not to attempt DIY conversions.
Electrical Safety First warns that the energy stored within e-bike batteries makes them uniquely dangerous. A faulty or substandard battery can unleash a fire so powerful it can decimate a room in a matter of seconds. Professional installation is paramount.
Natasha’s flat was utterly destroyed, reduced to ashes by the intense heat and flames. The fire served as a stark and tragic illustration of the potential consequences of a seemingly harmless upgrade.
The charity is advocating for new legislation to hold online marketplaces accountable for the safety of goods sold on their platforms, including conversion kits. Currently, no designated safety standard exists for these kits, a critical gap that needs to be addressed.
London is bracing for a record number of e-bike and scooter fires this year, highlighting the escalating crisis. Ehsia’s message is simple, yet profoundly urgent: “Please, please, please, do not allow my trauma to be yours.”
“Be sensible when it comes to purchasing electrical items and follow safety advice provided by trustworthy sources. Never ever ever convert your bike to an e-bike yourself. Don’t ignore this message because you could very well find yourselves in the same position as I am.”
