E-bike bursts into flames, spawning inferno that engulfs a two-story home as firefighters warn of a common homeowner mistake
- House burns in South Sydney
- Electric bike battery caught fire while charging
- Man forced to jump from second floor balcony
A house caught fire after an electric bike caught fire in the garage, prompting firefighters to urge homeowners not to leave them in charge for too long.
Firefighters rushed to the two-storey house on Mathewson Street in Eastgardens, south Sydney, after the bike exploded at around 8pm on Sunday night.
A man was forced to escape the house by jumping from a second-story balcony as fourteen teams battled the fire that spread from the garage to the ground floor.
A man was forced to jump from a second-story balcony (pictured) to avoid the flames as fourteen teams battled the fire that had spread from the garage to the ground floor.
Firefighters rushed to the two-storey house on Mathewson Street in Eastgardens, south of Sydney, after it caught fire around 8pm on Sunday night.
Images of the damage show the house blackened by flames and the remains of a charred electric bike among other rubble in the garage.
Firefighters believe the fire broke out after the bike’s faulty lithium-ion battery exploded while charging overnight.
“The electric bike’s battery has been secured and submerged in water by firefighters to prevent it from re-igniting,” Fire and Rescue said in a statement.
“A fire crew remained at the scene overnight to prevent the battery from reigniting.”
Shocking images of the damage show the blackened bricks of the house and the remains of a burnt-out electric bike among other rubble in the garage (pictured)
“The electric bike’s battery has been secured and submerged in water by firefighters to prevent it from re-igniting,” Fire and Rescue said in a statement Monday.
Crews removed several other lithium-ion batteries from the home for fear they would explode or catch fire after being exposed to the hot flames.
Firefighters have since reminded electric cyclists that faulty or overcharged lithium batteries can be a “serious” safety risk.
“They can release gases and explode, causing intense fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish and risk re-ignition,” firefighters warned.
Electric bike owners are advised to stick to reputable and compatible brands of lithium-ion batteries and avoid overcharging or charging their vehicles overnight.
It comes just weeks after the luxurious beachfront home of an elderly couple was razed to the ground by a fire believed to have been started by a lithium battery (pictured)
It took hours for firefighters to bring the blaze (pictured) under control, which is believed to have been started by a battery being charged in the garage.
It comes just weeks after a Queensland couple’s luxurious beachfront home was razed to the ground by a fire believed to have been started by a lithium battery.
The $1.65 million home at Nootka Court in Broadbeach Waters on the Gold Coast was consumed by fire in late January.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was caused by a failure in the battery pack of an electric scooter,” a QFES spokesperson said at the time.
“The reason for the failure is unknown at this stage.”
The source of the fire is believed to be a battery for an electric bicycle or electric scooter in the garage.
