Gemma Germeney, 31, and her two children Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, died after a house fire in 2023
A modified e-bike battery is believed to have caused a fire that killed a mum and two children, a pre-inquest review hearing heard. Gemma Germeney, 31, and her two children Lilly Peden, eight, and Oliver Peden, four, died after a fire at their maisonette in Sackville Close, Cambridge.
Firefighters were first called to their home at around 1am on June 30, 2023. Gemma died at the scene, while Oliver and Lily later died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Scott Peden, Gemma’s partner and Oliver and Lily’s dad, suffered serious injuries in the fire.
At the time, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue said the likely cause of the fire was an e-bike. A pre-inquest review was held by Coroner Elizabeth Gray at Vantage House in Huntingdon on Tuesday (March 17).
Mr Peden, who was in a coma for a month after the fire, appeared remotely. Ms Germeney’s parents and other family members attended the hearing in person.
Miles Bennett, counsel for Mr Peden, asked if a man named Mr Severinov would be called as a witness and declared as an interested person. Mr Bennett told the court that Mr Severinov may have been involved in modifying the e-bike battery that caused the fire.
Mr Bennett said: “Someone carried out a quick fix to that lithium battery.” He added that “after that quick fix was carried out, there was a tumultuous fire at that residence” which led to the deaths.
Mr Bennett said the inquest should consider “the changes to the battery and the problem with the battery and the problem with the battery”. He said someone who may have modified a battery that led to the fire should “at very least be a witness”.
Ms Gray said that at the future full inquest, the “purchase of the bike, the battery being stolen and the modification” would be included in background information.
Mr Bennett also raised concerns about investigation into smoke alarms at the family home. He said there were “mixed messages” about whether the alarms worked or “did not go off” at the time.
Steve Fleming from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, who appeared remotely, told the court that there were smoke alarms at the property. Due to the “intensity of the fire”, Mr Fleming said it was “nearly impossible” to look at the alarms and only part of the alarms could be recovered.
Mr Fleming added that he didn’t think the smoke alarms were a relevant factor “due to the escape route being blocked due to the fire itself”.
A representative from the Office for Product Safety and Standards was also present in court. Ms Gray adjourned the hearing for a two-day inquest to be held from August onwards into the deaths.
At the full inquest, several witnesses will be called including representatives from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, and Cambridgeshire Police. There will also be two witnesses from OPSS, one who investigated and another on policies. Mr Peden and Mr Severinov may also be called as witnesses.
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