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The young boy had alerted his older brothers and sister that a fire had broken out in their home due to an electric bicycle battery. He couldn't save himself, unlike the rest of his family.
British authorities have announced that they have closed the investigation into the death of an 8-year-old boy, Luke Albiston O'Donnell. The latter lost his life last August, in the town of Birkenhead, a suburb of Liverpool, after a fire caused by the battery of an electric bicycle which was charging in the family home.
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According to media reports in England, the young boy officially died of hypoxia and carbon monoxide poisoning. However, it was he who managed to alert his family of the danger. He first noticed that the lithium battery of an electric bike charging in the living room was making a very strange noise, and warned his brothers, Ethan, 20, Harry, 11, as well as his 10-year-old sister, Ava.
Moments later, the battery caught fire. Ethan, Harry and Ava were able to save themselves and escape from the accommodation through an open window, unlike Luke, who remained stuck, as recalled by Daily Mail. He was finally able to be extracted, later, and died in hospital a few hours later.
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Following this tragedy and the closure of the investigation, the British authorities insisted on the risks linked to electric batteries which equip bicycles and scooters in particular. Their fires, in addition to fire, produce toxic vapors which can quickly be fatal. In 2022 and 2023, no less than thirteen deaths will be linked to fires caused by lithium batteries in the United Kingdom.
