Couple and Dogs Die in E-Bike Fire Family Issues Warning

A young couple and their dogs died in a fire. The family issued a warning after this tragedy. Natasha and Karlo lived in Coventry. The fire happened at their home in Stoke Aldermoor. An inquest ruled their deaths were accidental.

Neighbors called 999 about a fire on The Coppice. This happened November 8, 2024. Firefighters found Natasha and Karlo dead, and their beloved dogs, Tyagi and Medusa, also died. The fire started from an e-bike battery.

West Midlands Fire Service investigated the fire. A firefighter said it was the worst he had seen. E-bike and battery fires rose a lot recently; double the amount occurred between 2022 and 2023. The fire service released a video to raise awareness about the dangers.

Richard Stanton spoke about Natasha and Karlo’s deaths. Their family wants others to learn from this. Natasha’s sister spoke about buying e-bikes and advised to only buy them if they have safety checks and to not buy those without rigorous testing.

Natasha’s family remembered her fondly, calling her thoughtful and beautiful. Her sister said life will never be the same. Emily Fernandez, who works for West Midlands Fire Service, also spoke about e-bikes.

Emily Fernandez stressed being careful and using products as the instructions say. Charge the e-bike while you’re awake and unplug it when it is fully charged. Also, use the charger that came with the e-bike and be careful with conversion kits.

If you can, charge e-bikes outside, and do not charge near exits or corridors; you might need these to escape your home.