Heartbroken mum makes desperate plea after daughter, 21, died in e-bike fire on New Year’s Day

A heartbroken mum is urging people to be aware of the dangers of e-bikes after her daughter tragically died in a fire on New Year’s Day.

Sofie Duarte, 21, died after a converted e-bike battery burst into flames in the entrance of her flat, blocking the fire escape routes.

Fire investigators found the lithium battery pack on the bicycle had failed “catastrophically”, which resulted in the fatal blaze at the 21-year-old’s home in Bermondsey, south east London. Sofia, who was a bartender at the London super-club Fabric, was visiting her boyfriend when she got caught in the flaming building.

Maria Frasquilho Macarro, who is originally from Portugal but raised her daughter in west London, said her whole world has fallen apart since her death. She is now making a heartfelt plea for people to take care with e-bikes and e-scooters so others do not go through the same suffering that she has.

Ms Frasquilho Macarro said: “Sofia loved life, she loved to party and she enjoyed her job working behind the bar at a nightclub. Now all I have left is my daughter’s ashes. I really want to make sure her death is not in vain and if I can raise awareness about the dangers of e-bikes and lithium batteries then there will be a positive in this.

“If we can save someone else’s life, I will take great comfort in that because at the moment I am hurting - I don’t want others to suffer as much as I have done. Sofia meant the world to me and my family. I don’t know how to live without her. It feels like a nightmare and I can’t wake up.”

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been called out to an e-bike or e-scooter fire once every two days so far this year - a 60% increase in the rate of these fires compared to the same time last year, it said. In 2022, firefighters attended 87 e-bike and 29 e-scooter fires.

Conversion kits allow an electric motor to be added to standard bikes, but not all of them are sold with a battery. Cheaper batteries are available online, although they don’t always meet the UK’s safety regulations and are more likely to fail and present an increased fire risk, as a result.

Lithium batteries store a significant amount of energy in a very small space and are much more powerful compared to other types of batteries. As such, if that energy is released in an uncontrolled way a fire or explosion can occur, the LFB warns.

In Sofia’s case, there was no evidence of poor installation but DIY installations can cause damage to the kit, which in turn heightens the risk of battery failure and, subsequently, the likelihood of a fire, the LFB added.

Ms Frasquilho Macarro warning about e-bikes comes as the LFB launches its #ChargeSafe campaign to highlight these risks, offering information about the potential dangers of charging, storing and modifying vehicles and their batteries.

It is advised that e-bike and e-scooter users do not block fire escape routes and ensure the battery and charger meet UK safety standards. It is also important to use the official charger from a reputable seller and ensure the battery has cooled down before charging. Chargers should be unplugged once the battery is full and experts recommend fitting fire alarms in areas where the vehicles are charging.

Dom Ellis, LFB’s deputy commissioner, said: “Sofia’s death is a tragedy, and our condolences are with her family and friends. We are working hard to prevent these types of incidents in the future.

“E-bikes and e-scooters are becoming more common in London and the risk of significant fires is rising too. We want people to travel safely and be aware of the risks that the batteries present as part of our #ChargeSafe campaign. Protect yourself and your loved ones by following our #ChargeSafe tips and by using our Home Fire Safety Checker.

“Never block your escape route with anything, including e-bikes and e-scooters. The only way to be sure of a legal, safe and reliable e-bike is to buy one in complete form, from a trusted and reputed retailer.

“The number of incidents our fire crews are attending shows that buying a product from a reputable seller will help protect you, your family and property from bursting into flames - not forgetting the peace of mind it can give.”