The house fire that killed a mother and her three children in Bootle earlier this month was caused by a lithium-ion battery, investigators have confirmed.
Elisha Brabin, 36, died alongside her children Leo Brabin, 16, Ellis Brabin, eight, and Prudence Brabin, seven, in the blaze at around 3.45am on September 20. Emergency services were called to Stone Square after reports that a semi-detached house was "well alight". Fire crews found four people in an upstairs bedroom, all pronounced dead at the scene. A fifth person was taken to hospital with burns.
Family tribute to 'beautiful babies'
The family of Elisha, Leo, Ellis and Prudence said: "Elisha was our beloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunty, niece and cousin. She was a devoted and loving mother who lived for her children. They were her whole world, and she meant everything to us.
"Our beautiful babies, Leo, Ellis and Prudence, were loved beyond measure and brought so much joy, happiness and love to our family. They filled our lives with laughter and precious memories that we will cherish forever."
Investigation findings
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) has now confirmed the cause of the fire. Following an investigation by the MFRS incident investigation team and Merseyside Police, the cause was determined to be an "electrical event" that caused a lithium-ion battery to go into thermal runaway - a chain reaction causing a rapid spike in temperature, resulting in fire.
MFRS head of prevention, Kev Johnson, said: "This is a devastating incident, and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the mother and children who lost their lives and those who were injured.
"I would like to commend the efforts of our fire control staff and our fire crews, also working with NWAS colleagues, who made every effort to provide a different outcome, but sadly this was not the case due to the speed and intensity of the fire.
"This tragedy highlights the very real risks posed by lithium-ion batteries, which we confirmed as the source of the fire.
"We're urging people to follow the manufacturer's instructions, only using batteries and chargers which have been supplied with the vehicle or approved by the manufacturer, as anything else can pose a huge fire risk.
"It's also important to know and recognise the signs that your lithium-ion battery may be failing - if it is swelling, making unusual sounds, has a strong smell, is failing to charge, or is smoking, please stop using immediately."
Community safety advice
Fire crews will go out into the local community this week to provide safety advice and reassurance to residents. They are urging people to follow manufacturer-recommended batteries and chargers, never charge e-bikes or e-scooters overnight, and ensure smoke alarms are fitted on every level of the home. Signs that a lithium-ion battery may be failing include swelling, hissing or cracking sounds, a strong smell, failure to charge, or smoke or gas – if any of these are noticed, stop using the device immediately.
