A family from south London have spoken out about their miraculous escape from a “nightmare” house fire caused by an exploding e-bike, forcing a son to leap out the window for his life.
Cheryl Whitter, 44, and her children Kyron, 22, Che, 20, Lexi, 16, and Karim, 10, are currently homeless after their home of 12 years on Lewis Road in Mitcham, Merton was burnt to the ground.
She and her children, who all have learning conditions, were fast asleep at the semi-detached property when they were awoken by a “strong nail varnish remover” stench at around 8am on Friday, October 17.
The mother-of-four, who works at a David Lloyd gym, rushed downstairs to find her oldest son’s e-bike overheating in the living room, only for it to blow up “like fireworks”.
It is understood that the lithium-powered vehicle was not modified or being charged at the time of the explosion.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Cheryl’s sister Debbie, 58, said the blaze took hold “in a matter of minutes” after sparks from the vehicle’s battery set fire to the furniture.
“It was like firebombs flowing out onto the curtain,” Debbie, from Coulsdon, Croydon, told The Standard. “Cheryl shouted at her children to run. It was one of the scariest things she has ever seen in her life.
“Then, it started going up the wall, ceiling and stairs, and by the front door.” Cheryl’s car, which was parked by the front porch, also caught fire.
Stuck in his bedroom, Che was moments from death as the inferno reached the top floor, forcing him to make a life or death decision.
“The house went up so quick,” mother-of-five Debbie revealed. “Che had to jump through his window and landed on his knees. He said, ‘It's either jump through or die.’”
The rest of the family sprinted into the garden and climbed over the fence, leaving their possessions behind.
Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters battled for nearly six hours to bring the blaze under control, made more difficult by gas pipes under the front door.
After the fire was extinguished, the family were crammed into a Premier Inn due to their humble abode being left uninhabitable and are currently waiting to be rehoused.
But Cheryl has been unable to stay in touch with her housing association due to the fact that she she cannot access her emails because her mobile phone was destroyed in the blaze.
She has also had difficulty with her car insurance provider because she no longer has her vehicle logbook or proof of purchase.
“It has gone from nightmare to nightmare,” said Debbie, a full-time carer. “She came out with just clothes on her body. She has got nothing.”
Amid the pain of losing her home, the family have thanked the local community for coming to their aid with messages of support and thousands of pounds worth of donations.
League One football club AFC Wimbledon have played a major part in assisting the family by donating five beds and mattresses.
“Everyone's been outstanding with helping Cheryl with clothes and things like that,” Debbie said.
On Monday, the family went out for dinner in Wimbledon to celebrate Cheryl’s 44th birthday when emotion took over.
Debbie said: “We, the whole family, went out for a meal and I said to Cheryl, ‘What do you want for your birthday?’ And she looked at me and she went, ‘A house’. And she started crying.
“Cheryl had a cookbook where you write your own recipes. She had it for about 15 years. And she goes, ‘Deb, I nearly filled it up and now it's gone. I want another cookbook that I can put my own recipes in.’”
The house holds special memories for “sociable” Cheryl and the entire family, Debbie reveals. “She's a gardener. In her garden, she grew everything and anything you can eat.
“Every day there was someone at Cheryl’s house… my sons, her mum, sisters, family or friends. You would always go to Cheryl's and she would always start a little barbecue or have food cooking.
“We spend Christmas and birthdays there. It was a hub where everyone just went and chilled out.”
Debbie is now calling for a ban on the sale of e-bikes following three severe fires at properties in the capital this week, the other two occurring at a towerblock in Tower Hamlets, east London and a ground-floor apartment in Waltham Forest, north London.
Injuries linked to the vehicles catching alight in the city have also reached shockingly high levels, with 120 injuries and 3 fatalities recorded between 2022 and 2024 — more than anywhere in Britain.
“None of us liked them,” Debbie said. “Even the little scooters and Segways. I told my children you're not having them.”
While the family are grateful to be alive, Cheryl and her children now face the challenge of rebuilding from scratch. Despite the tragedy, Debbie remains optimistic about the future.
It's either jump through or die
“I said to them, ‘Just thank the Lord that you're alive. And just start rebuilding, one day at a time.’
“’There are gonna be a lot of personal things that have gone and you are not gonna get back, but you are going to have to keep them as memories.’”
She added: “When something bad happens, you have to turn it around to make something good out of it. When we went out for food, we sat there and it was nice having everyone together.
“Cheryl said it is going to be a birthday she will never forget.”
The LFB’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection, Richard Field, said: “It cannot be underestimated the level of destruction each of these fires have caused with three homes completely damaged by fire and smoke. It’s extremely fortunate that no one has been seriously hurt.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has so far raised more than £6,500 to help Cheryl and her family. You can donate to it here.
