E-scooter fire prompts safety warning

THE Country Fire Authority (CFA) has issued a warning to community members to be careful when charging devices with lithium-ion batteries and to only buy those devices from reputable suppliers.

The warning comes after an e-scooter exploded while charging in the kitchen of a home in Wendouree earlier this month, resulting in a house fire.

The fire was attended to by crews from the CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria and no one was injured.

Wendouree CFA Lieutenant, Kenneth Mitchell, said the response team was able to remove the hazard from the house, preventing the spread of the fire.

“These devices can go off quite quickly and violently, so the best way to deal with them is to call Triple Zero at your earliest convenience. A fire extinguisher can be used in the first instance too,” he said.

“For firefighters, the only way crews can alleviate the issue is to remove the hazard from the structure and then place it in a bucket of water to cool it down.

“Once in the water it can pose a risk of off gassing, which is the spread of dangerous substances from inside the battery that can be let out when it catches fire.”

Victorian fire services respond to lithium-ion battery fires on an almost daily basis.

These batteries are contained in several common household items including mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-scooters, e-bikes and power tools.

The purchase of such devices is on the rise and, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, it is estimated that each household will have, on average, 33 lithium-ion battery powered devices by 2026.

Acting assistant chief fire officer for community safety Kieran Lenehan said community members must remember to always follow appropriate safety measures for their devices.

“When lithium-ion batteries are damaged, misused or fail to meet compliance standards, they pose a serious fire risk, particularly while they are connected to chargers,” he said.

“Do not overcharge electric devices, only charge them when required and the safest option is to switch them off overnight before you go to bed.

“We recommend charging them in the garage, on their own power point.”

The CFA also recommend only using the charger supplied with the device and to avoid plugging too many items into power boards to prevent them from overheating and catching fire.