Family demand new laws after model, 21, died in fire sparked by e-bike battery
THE devastated family of a model killed in a fire caused by an unbranded e-bike battery called for curbs after an inquest into her death yesterday.
Sofia Duarte, 21, died on New Year’s Day last year in a blaze sparked by a lithium-ion battery pack at flats where her boyfriend lived.
Her partner and four other occupants escaped, but the inquest heard that Sofia died at the scene.
The family is now calling on the Government to impose restrictions on where e-bikes are stored – claiming Sofia might still be alive today if the bike had not been charging at the entrance and only exit to the flats.
Her inquest heard two bikes – an e-bike and a converted retro-fitted push bike with a battery pack – were found on the ground floor.
The fire was said to have been caused by an unbranded battery pack fitted to the converted bike that was on charge at the time of the fire.
The bar worker’s boyfriend had woken after hearing a bang and saw the hallway filled with smoke.
He jumped from his bedroom window on to the roof of a shop, encouraging Sofia to follow. But she tried to escape out the entrance and was found dead on the hallway landing of the second floor in Bermondsey, SouthEast London.
The London Fire Brigade spoke of “significant risks” associated with buying unregulated battery packs online, often paired with incompatible chargers. At London’s Inner South Coroner’s Court, Assistant Coroner Xavier Mooyaart, recorded a conclusion of accidental death. He said: “The fire arose from a battery pack of a retrofitted e-bike on charge in the entrance hallway. Sofia was unable to escape.
“A battery fire caused her death but we don’t know whether it was being incorrectly charged, whether the cells malfunctioned.”
But Alda Simoes, a close family friend of Ms Duarte, said: “It was the only exit. There was no way to escape.
Plea
“The Government should bring some rules in for storage – then Sofia could have survived. There are more cases like this, of people trapped.”
After hearing her plea, Mr Mooyaart said he would reconsider the evidence and make a decision on whether a Prevention of Future Deaths Report is necessary.