A charging lithium-ion battery from an e-scooter caused the house fire in Bootle, Merseyside, that killed Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children Leo, 16, Ellis, eight, and Prudence, seven. The fire service said the blaze spread with such speed and intensity that emergency crews could not save them; a fifth person was taken to hospital with burns.

Firefighters were called to the family’s home on Stone Square at about 3.45am on Tuesday, 22 September, and found the mother and children in an upstairs bedroom. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service reported 150 battery-related fires in the area between April 2023 and August 2026, with five deaths. It urged people to use manufacturer-approved batteries and chargers and to stop using batteries that show signs of failure, such as swelling, unusual sounds, strong smells or smoke.