Fire and Rescue NSW are urging homeowners to be extra cautious after a home battery-related fire claimed the lives of two people last week.
Around 4 a.m. last Thursday, four people staying in a townhouse in Lake Macquarie awoke to a fire engulfing a portion of the home.
FRNSW investigators believe a home battery ignited the blaze after being compromised, transforming the device into a ‘thermal runaway,’ – a process where a Lithium-Ion cell overheats and gives off toxic gases before exploding in flames.
An FRNSW statement revealed two of the occupants escaped the intense flames, but two others were tragically killed, their bodies recovered from the unstable ruins on Friday and Saturday.
Police are currently working to identify the victims and prepare a report for the NSW Coroner, who will formally decide the cause of the deaths.
The tragedy marks the state’s first recorded deaths due to a Lithium-Ion-battery-related fire.
According to FRNSW statistics, 45 similar fires linked to home batteries have occurred in NSW alone this year, equivalent to five incidents a week.
There were 269 such fires in this state last year at the same weekly rate.
FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell urged the public to stay alert and reinforced the dangers of such batteries when they are comprised, damaged, or allowed to overheat.
“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,” said the commissioner in a statement provided to Build-it.
“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 blaze comes only a month after Federal Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones issued a proposed recall notice for the LG Home Energy Storage Systems Batteries following a string of home fires in 2023.
The batteries, manufactured between 2016 and 2019, have damaged property in 13 incidents, including a fire that destroyed a house in Victoria and caused one smoke inhalation injury.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), almost 5000 households remain at risk of a fire caused by faulty solar storage batteries.
FRNSW urged Aussies to remain cautious of compromised battery systems, urging homeowners to responsibly store systems in cool, dry areas away from combustible materials.
