E-bike warning from Sippy Downs mother who lost everything in house fire

A Sunshine Coast mum-of-two says an e-bike charging in the living room has cost her family everything after a massive blaze destroyed their family home. Watch the video.

A Sippy Downs mother of two teenage boys is trying to find her feet again after a house fire destroyed almost everything that she owned.

Frances Higgins said an e-bike charging in the living room went off “like fireworks” about midnight on February 20, 2023.

She rushed to get herself and her two sons out of the building as the flames took hold.

“I just heard like fireworks, and I thought ‘what’s going on?,’” she said.

“Bits and pieces of the e-bike were exploding, sparks and bits of metal were flying off everywhere.

“It was going up really quick.”

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The devastating fire has left the family homeless, with Ms Higgins saying that they have had to stay with friends and look for rental properties amid a housing crisis.

Frances Higgins lost everything in a devastating fire that was caused by a e-bike.

Ms Higgins said she lost about $50,000 in personal possessions and appliances.

“That’s roughly where you’re at when you add up all the bits and pieces and the whitegoods and the expensive push bikes,” she said.

A reliable tenant for around five years, Ms Higgins said it was difficult to find another rental property in the area because of the high demand.

She warned people about charging e-bikes or scooters in their houses.

“Don’t charge e-scooters or e-bikes in the house,” she said.

“Especially if there might be something dodgy about them.

Frances Higgins lost everything in a devastating fire that was caused by a e-bike.

“The fireman actually said to me that they are trying to do a petition to ban them from being charged in the house so there’s obviously been a run of these kinds of fires.”

A friend of Ms Higgins has started a fundraising campaign to help her and her family get back on their feet. Donations can be sent through the GoFundMe.

The house fire has left the family of three homeless.

Originally published as E-bike warning from Sippy Downs mother who lost everything in house fire