A 28-year-old father died trying to rescue his brother from a house fire caused by the “catastrophic failure” of a lithium-ion battery he had fitted to convert his bicycle into an e-bike, a coroner has revealed.
Mohsin Janjua perished in the blaze at his Bradford home after rushing back into the burning property, believing his brother was still trapped inside on 2 December 2023. Unknown to him, his sibling had already escaped by jumping from an upstairs window.
The tragedy has prompted Senior Coroner Martin Fleming to issue an urgent warning to the government about the “significant and growing risk to public safety” posed by unregulated lithium battery sales online, particularly for e-bike conversions.
Mr Janjua had been sleeping on the sofa in his living room when his converted e-bike, which was plugged into the mains for overnight charging, burst into flames in the early hours. The 28-year-old immediately spotted the fire and rushed to alert his mother and young son who were sleeping upstairs.
All three managed to escape through the front door, but believing his brother was still inside, Mr Janjua heroically re-entered the burning home. His brother, who had already jumped to safety from the upstairs bedroom window and suffered injuries, attempted to go back in to save Mohsin but was beaten back by toxic smoke and the intensity of the flames.
West Yorkshire Fire Service later found Mr Janjua unresponsive in the rear upstairs bedroom. Crews initially thought he was unconscious, but it was subsequently discovered he had already died by the time they arrived.
Following an inquest into the death, Senior Coroner Martin Fleming concluded that Mr Janjua died from inhalation of products of combustion, stating the fire was “more likely than not” caused by the catastrophic failure of the lithium-ion battery.
The coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths report revealed disturbing details about the battery’s origins and safety standards. Mr Janjua had purchased the 20-amp/hour 52-volt battery on eBay just one week before the fatal fire, replacing a previous electric motor he had fitted to his bicycle in 2022.
Forensic testing of a battery from the same seller showed it failed to meet UK safety standards and regulations. The battery and charger, believed to have originated from China, were found to be non-compliant with British safety requirements.
In his report to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), Mr Fleming warned: “In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. The current unregulated sale of lithium-ion batteries, especially those intended for e-bike conversions through online marketplaces, pose a significant and growing risk to public safety.”
The coroner highlighted that online marketplaces currently disclaim responsibility for the safety of third-party goods, calling for consideration of regulations to make these platforms jointly responsible for ensuring products sold on their sites meet safety and legal compliance standards.
“Fires caused by substandard or non-compliant batteries have increased and many originate from online marketplaces,” Mr Fleming stated, urging the government to “consider further steps to increase the general public’s awareness with regard to the life-threatening risks involved with lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes stored in domestic properties.”
The tragedy reflects a worrying trend in fire incidents linked to e-bikes and e-scooters across the UK. According to data from business insurer QBE, fires linked to lithium-ion batteries increased by 46 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year, with fire services attending 921 such incidents – almost three fires a day.
E-bikes accounted for nearly a third of these fires, with 270 recorded incidents in 2023, up 70 per cent from 158 in 2022. The Office for Product Safety and Standards reported that seven fires in 2023 resulted in fatalities, claiming 10 lives in total, while 40 incidents caused non-fatal casualties, injuring 72 people.
London Fire Brigade has identified e-bike and e-scooter fires as the capital’s fastest-growing fire trend. By August 2023, crews had already tackled more fires than in the whole of 2022, with three deaths and 51 injuries that year alone.
The fires are particularly dangerous because lithium batteries can experience “thermal runaway” – a chain reaction where damaged cells overheat uncontrollably, releasing intense heat and toxic gases. These fires burn differently from regular fires, spreading rapidly and proving difficult to extinguish.
Of particular concern are converted e-bikes like Mr Janjua’s. Statistics from the first six months of 2023 showed that at least 40 per cent of e-bike fires in London involved conversions, where standard bicycles were modified with electric motors and batteries often purchased online.
Fire safety experts stress that many incidents involve batteries or conversion kits that don’t meet safety standards. The batteries are often poorly constructed, with inadequate welding, absent heat sensors, and insufficient battery management systems to prevent thermal runaway.
In response to the growing crisis, the government has taken several enforcement actions. In January 2024, OPSS banned two models of Unit Power Pack (UPP) e-bike batteries manufactured in China after they were linked to multiple fires across England.
More recently, in December 2024, the government published statutory guidelines requiring lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes to contain specific safety mechanisms to address thermal runaway risks. Non-compliance can lead to product recalls, withdrawals, and criminal prosecution.
The OPSS has conducted 21 product recalls and published 29 Product Safety Reports for unsafe or non-compliant e-bikes or e-scooters since 2022. The regulator has also issued withdrawal notices to online marketplaces, requiring them to stop selling dangerous batteries.
A government spokesperson said: “We take the risk of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries very seriously, including those linked to e-bikes and e-scooters. We are updating our product safety laws to help keep the public safe, as well as taking action at ports and borders to stop unsafe or non-compliant products from reaching consumers.”
The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 has been passed to help address challenges from technological advances, including fire risks from e-bikes and lithium batteries. A new “Buy Safe, Be Safe” awareness campaign has also been launched to educate consumers about the dangers.
Fire safety organisations recommend that consumers only purchase e-bikes and batteries from reputable retailers, avoid buying conversion kits online unless from verified sellers, and never leave batteries charging overnight or unattended. They also advise checking for safety certifications and avoiding modifications to existing e-bikes.
Station Manager Tom Burland from London Fire Brigade warned that while battery kits bought online might be cheap, “that cost is at a bit of a price to safety as well.”
The coroner has given the Office for Product Safety and Standards until 25 September to respond to his report outlining what action will be taken to prevent similar tragedies.
Mr Janjua’s death serves as a tragic reminder of the hidden dangers lurking in seemingly innocent online purchases. His final act of bravery, attempting to save a brother who had already escaped, underscores both the devastating human cost of substandard products and the urgent need for stricter regulation of lithium battery sales.
As e-bikes continue to grow in popularity as an environmentally friendly transport option, ensuring their safety through proper regulation and public awareness becomes ever more critical to prevent further loss of life.
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