Fire and Rescue NSW crews avert lithium battery mishap inside family home - Merewether
Published: 11 Jul 2023 03:24pm
A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crew from the Hunter has arrived at a home in the nick of time to prevent a lithium battery exploding in flames.
Firefighters received a call to their station phone at 9am from a resident of Mary Street, Merewether, who had accidentally punctured the battery while removing it from a disused mobile phone.
The device had begun emitting an unusual odour, a process known as 'off-gassing,' and the resident was seeking expert advice on how to best handle the situation.
The FRNSW brigade advised the man to carefully take the battery outside - away from flammable materials - and wait for them to arrive on-scene.
While they were on their way to his home, it's understood the man conducted an internet search to try to obtain additional advice from a third-party.
One source incorrectly advised him to place the battery in salt water.
The well-intentioned man undertook this action, not realising it had created an additional high fire risk due to salt water being a conducting agent for electricity.
The 'off-gassing' indicates the battery was over-heating and in danger of violently exploding and setting fire to the home.
FRNSW firefighters arrived and quickly sought additional containers, transferring the battery into fresh water.
The battery continued to bubble as it possibly attempted a thermal reaction from the salt water exposure; however, this was being countered by the fresh water.
The fire crew, utilising specialist equipment, also monitored the temperature of the battery and the gases in the atmosphere, ultimately deeming the area safe.
They advised the resident to leave the battery in the fresh water for several hours and regularly check on it to ensure the response was having the desired effect.
He was also given instructions on how to properly dispose of the battery.
More information about minimising the fire risk posed by batteries and charging equipment, and how to dispose of lithium cells can be found via the FRNSW website: https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=9389 [external link]
EDITOR'S NOTE - footage relating to the Merewether incident is available for download via the following web link: https://vimeo.com/844098660/b137fd37a3 [external link]
Updated: 11 Jul 2023 03:28pm
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39 Llewellyn Street, Merewether NSW 2291
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