A flat fire that killed a woman and two children in Cambridge was most likely accidentally caused by “an electric bike that was charging”, according to the fire service.

The blaze swept through the maisonette in Sackville Close on Friday morning.

Gemma Germeney, 31, died at the scene, while eight-year-old Lilly Peden, and Oliver Peden, aged four, were rescued by firefighters but later died after being taken to hospital.

A man in his 30s was in a critical condition and remained in hospital, police said on Sunday.

After investigating the cause of the deadly fire over the weekend, a spokesman for the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had “started accidentally and the most probable cause was an e-bike”.

Area Commander Stuart Smith said: “A fire investigation looks for the most probable cause and in this case, we believe that to be an electric bike that was charging.”

Mr Smith urged e-bike owners to “be aware of the potential risks” that the cycles carry and to “follow simple precautions to reduce the likelihood of the batteries overheating”.

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The fire service recommended avoiding charging the battery of an e-bike or e-scooter overnight and not leaving it charging for any longer than it needed to fully charge.

Mr Smith added: “We also know that regardless of the cause, devastating incidents like this make people think about fire safety in general at home and… our fire safety team will be in the Sackville Close area over the next few days to share advice and offer reassurance.”

More than 30 firefighters attended the fire in the early hours of Friday morning where they managed to stop it from spreading to nearby homes.

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