Two people who were killed in a house fire in Lake Macquarie last week are NSW’s first known fatalities from a blaze caused by a lithium-ion battery.
The fire broke out inside a townhouse on Railway Street in Teralba in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Two occupants were later found dead in the ruins of the house after the blaze, which Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators believe was caused by a lithium-ion battery.
FRNSW said a battery inside the house became compromised around 4am on Thursday, immediately going into “thermal runaway”, where a cell overheats and gives off toxic gases before exploding into flames.
Four people were in the townhouse when the fire broke out.
Two of the people inside safely escaped the intense flames which consumed the house but two others were unable to make it out.
Police and investigators from FRNSW were prevented at first from entering the building due to the compromised structure of the townhouse.
After gaining access to the property, investigators deemed a lithium-ion battery was the likely cause of the fire.
Police are yet to formally identify the two victims and are preparing a report for the coroner.
According to FRNSW data, there are approximately five lithium-ion battery-related fires in NSW every week.
“This appears to be what we have been fearing for a while now, a person or persons dying due to a lithium-ion battery-related fire in this state,” FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said.
“We continue to warn the community about the potential for these batteries to explode in flames.
“Use extra caution when using lithium-ion batteries – when they go into ‘thermal runaway’, the danger is immediate.
“These fires are extremely intense and volatile, even our firefighters find putting them out challenging because they burn so hot.
“It’s vital the public follows our safety advice around these batteries.”
The fire service has the following advice for the safe use of the batteries:
- Never sleep or leave home with your lithium battery-powered devices charging
- Don’t leave them constantly on charge
- If lithium 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
- Don’t leave devices charging on beds, sofas or around highly flammable materials
- Try to charge devices outside if possible
- Always buy reputable lithium battery brands and never “mix and match” components
- Beware of cheap, substandard lithium battery-powered devices
- Avoid dropping, crushing or piercing battery cells
- Store batteries and devices in a cool, dry area, away from combustible materials
- Install active smoke alarms in your home or garage
- Ensure you have a home evacuation plan in the event of fire
- Don’t store or charge lithium-ion-powered devices near exit points in your home
