Most of David’s home needs to be rebuilt after the e-bike burst into flames (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
A surprise present for a friend went horribly wrong after a gifted e-bike burst into flames and destroyed his home.
David Bird, 50, took his three sons away on holiday last month and asked his best friend, Dan Angus, 42, to house sit and look after his kittens while they were away.
Dan had bought David an e-bike to help with his mobility problems – but it caught fire while it was being charged.
David raced home early but was devastated to find most of his belongings were destroyed – but he insists he doesn’t blame Dan for what happened.
David said: ‘Because I broke my back when I was knocked off my bike in 2009 and now suffer from mobility problems, Dan had bought me an electric bike as a surprise – bless him.
‘He’s put it on charge and been sat watching the UFC in the living room when BANG, he’s heard an explosion.
‘He tried to put the fire out with a tea towel, but it just spread so quickly.
‘So, yeah, what was supposed to be a nice surprise was actually horrendous.
The e-bike caught fire while it was charging (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
There was significant fire damage both up and downstairs (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
The fire caused thousands of pounds of damage (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
‘I can’t put it into words. I was absolutely shattered.
‘Dan just sobbed his heart out on the phone. He was feeling really guilty and saying he was so sorry.
‘I said “No, it’s not your fault”. I did not even know that could happen.’
David took his three sons away for a ‘nice and quiet’ weekend in Wales on June 23, but a day into their trip at a caravan park in Gwynedd, he received a panicked phone call from Dan, in tears, saying his house was on fire and he needed to come home immediately.
David, from Coton Fields, Stafford, raced home, but by then most of his belongings were destroyed – including ‘precious keepsakes’ in memory of his late father and beloved daughter, who died 13 years ago in a car accident.
There was thousands of pounds worth of damage and David has also been forced to postpone his wedding, which was set to happen later this year, because they can no longer afford it.
David added: ‘I just cried. Everything in my life had gone up in smoke and I’m now living out of a suitcase and sleeping on a sofa.
‘From what I’ve been told, it just went up and absolutely spread like wildfire.
‘The kitchen is devastated. The front room is devastated.
‘Upstairs has got so much fire damage and the smoke and soot. I’ve washed things, but I just can’t get the smell out.
‘It’s a full rebuild, to be honest, and I’m determined to do that.’
There’s very little left of David’s kitchen (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
David is now having to sleep on a sofa in a sleeping bag (Picture: David Bird/GoFundMe)
Expensive items, such as laptops, tablets and his sons’ Xbox were also damaged by the fire – but it’s the loss of sentimental items which has caused the most upset, leading to him struggling to sleep.
‘I had childhood photos of me and the kids, things they made for me in school and that sort of thing,’ he said.
‘My dad’s cane, who passed away from a heart attack back in 2016.
‘That’s been hard to take if I’m honest, because I can’t get them back.
‘I was absolutely crushed when I saw the house. Everything was gone in one fell swoop.
‘I’m just happy that no-one was hurt. I could have lost my best friend in that pile.’
While David is still waiting for the fire service’s official report, he has been told they are ‘more or less certain’ it was caused by the charging e-bike.
Fire service expert explains how to keep e-bikes safe
David Vincent, fire service watch manager at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue, said: ‘E-bikes and e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular and most are powered by lithium-ion batteries which can be charged in the home.
‘It’s important when charging e-bikes and e-scooters that you do so safely to avoid a risk of a fire starting inside your home. Always use the correct charger.
‘If you charge or store your e-bike or e-scooter in a garage or kitchen, make sure you install detection which can alert you if they overheat and ignite, such as a heat alarm.
‘Don’t leave batteries to charge while you are asleep or away from the home and make sure (to) keep them away from escape routes or in communal areas of shared accommodation.
‘Store e-bikes and e-scooters and their batteries in a cool place.
‘Aim to avoid storing them in excessively hot or cold areas.’
Dan, who bought the e-bike and charger on Amazon, explained what happened: ‘I had charged the bike up at my nan’s earlier that day so I could test drive it, and it was fine.
‘I took it to Dave’s and put it on charge in the kitchen. It was only on charge for about an hour.
‘I was nodding off on the settee, watching the UFC that night, and I just heard a fizzling sound.
‘I literally went to try and get the cats but I couldn’t breathe.’
Dan was able to rescue some of the kittens, after trying to extinguish the blaze, before firefighters arrived and managed to save the rest of the animals.
‘I just cried. Everything in my life had gone up in smoke and I’m now living out of a suitcase and sleeping on a sofa.’
