A massive blaze that was reportedly sparked by an e-bike battery has forced 30 residents to flee from a high-rise apartment in Sydney’s south.
On Monday, Fire and Rescue New South Wales reported that crews from Arncliffe and Marrickville extinguished a blaze that broke out in a seventh-floor apartment in Wolli Creek.
According to the Fire and Rescue NSW investigators, the blaze was believed to be sparked by a “faulty lithium-ion battery” attached to an e-bike. The fire reportedly broke out at 6pm on Saturday, forcing 30 residents to evacuate from the high-rise apartment.
A 30-year-old woman was treated for smoke inhalation by NSW paramedics. Thankfully, no major injuries or deaths were recorded.
The Wolli Creek e-bike battery fire comes weeks after an e-bike battery exploded at Mad Monkey Hostel in Potts Point, where 70 occupants were evacuated.
Fire and Rescue NSW released security footage of the e-bike battery explosion on social media. In the video, two young men seem to be talking before they suddenly run out of the frame, followed by a giant fireball.
Luckily, one of the men, who’s named Phillip, was able to grab a nearby fire extinguisher. But an occupant, who was in the room when the blaze began, suffered minor burns to his legs.
The men sought out help at Kings Cross police station, which led to six firetrucks and 22 firefighters attending the scene. Thankfully, the crews were able to quickly extinguish the e-bike battery blaze.
Fire and Rescue NSW has previously mentioned that lithium-ion batteries are “the fastest growing fire risk” in New South Wales.
“When lithium-ion batteries fail, they can undergo thermal runaway. This involves violent bursting of one or multiple battery cells, hissing and release of toxic, flammable and explosive gases, and an intense, self-sustaining fire that can be difficult to extinguish,” Fire and Rescue NSW wrote on their website.
Following the high-rise apartment e-bike blaze, Fire and Rescue NSW have urged Aussies to use extreme caution when charging lithium-ion batteries.
Advice includes not charging them constantly, charging devices outside if possible and contacting recycling centres on how to dispose of lithium-ion batteries properly.
For more advice on lithium-ion batteries, head to the Fire and Rescue NSW site right here.
