Faulty e-scooter battery thought responsible for house fire - Woronora
Published: 12 Nov 2024 09:52am
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators suspect a faulty lithium-ion battery caused an intense garage and house fire this morning at Woronora, in Sydney’s south.
Firefighters were called to the home on Prices Circuit, just before 3.00am.
On arrival, they found the garage of the home fully engulfed by fire, with flames starting to threaten the main residence.
Three fire trucks and 12 firefighters battled the blaze for around 90-minutes, successfully preventing the flames spreading to the main residence and neighbouring homes.
Five people self-evacuated form the fire however three were transported to hospital for smoke inhalation, with one also suffering serious burns to their lower limbs.
After initial inspections, FRNSW investigators believe that the battery of a charging e-scooter failed, causing it to go into ‘thermal runaway,’ sparking the blaze.
FRNSW has responded to 81 micromobility incidents this year, which is an average rate of two per week.
Fire and Rescue NSW advises the owners of micromobility devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards to adhere to safe charging practices including:
- Install active smoke alarms in your home/garage
- Always buy reputable lithium-ion battery brands and never ‘mix and match’ components
- Don’t leave devices charging in bedrooms or on beds, sofas or around highly flammable materials
- Try to charge devices outside if possible
- Beware of cheap, substandard lithium-ion battery-powered devices
- Avoid dropping, crushing or piercing battery cells
- If lithium-ion batteries are damaged or compromised, dispose of them properly
- Don’t throw them out in the rubbish, they can start garbage truck or rubbish tip fires when compacted
- Contact your local, approved recycling centre for disposal advice
- Store batteries and devices in a cool, dry area, away from combustible materials
- Ensure you have a home evacuation plan in the event of fire
For further information, visit the FRNSW website: https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/chargesafe [external link]
Updated: 14 Nov 2024 04:17pm
Related safety topics
It's important that we all understand the risks of lithium-ion batteries and be prepared if things go wrong.
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Having a home escape plan and a working smoke alarm increases your chances of getting out safely.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
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