Fire official expresses concern about the hazards associated with lithium batteries, which "don't go out as easily as other fuel sources"
By lauraharris // 2024-01-08
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Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) is investigating the cause of a destructive fire that consumed a two-story e-bike factory in the Inner West of Croydon, Sydney, on Jan. 5. FRNSW Superintendent Joshua Turner expressed concern about the hazards associated with lithium batteries and electricity storage units within the e-bike repair center. "Crews found it was an e-bike repair center, so the risk of lithium batteries and storage units of electricity was their primary concern. Lithium batteries maintain a high level of heat when they're on fire, and they don't go out as easily as other fuel sources. Fire rescue is doing a lot of work in researching lithium batteries and the effect it's going to have on firefighting in the future," he said. According to reports, the fire originated in a small building behind a row of shops on Elizabeth Street. More than 60 firefighters and 15 fire trucks from the FRNSW battled for over two hours to control the fire, which started at 5 a.m. The firefighters tackled the flames from the outside of the e-bike factory due to concerns about a potential structural collapse. The footage and photos captured the ferocity of the flames as it engulfed and scorched e-bikes within the factory. Police were also present at the scene to ensure the safety of nearby residents. Superintendent Trent Lawrence suggested that it is too early to determine the cause of the fire. "There may be some power interruptions for some of those local residents. There are some houses at the rear; there may be some exclusion zones for residents, but only minors at this stage; and we have police on the scene assisting with road closures," he said.

Fires related to electric vehicles on the rise

Amith Shetty, who lives about six houses down from the shop, said the fire escalated quickly.

"We all heard a few pops, then the whole place went up, and within minutes the whole place went up in flames. It was quite surreal; it was black smoke, and then the next moment it was all up in flames. Initially, you could feel the heat around the corner, and we packed up our cat and thought we'd probably be evacuating, but fortunately, they got it under control in about half an hour," Shetty said.

In response, FRNSW Superintendent Andrew Shurety warned people at a media conference held on Dec. 29 of the rise in e-bike and lithium-ion battery-related fires. "It is something we are aware of – we are trying to put some community messaging out there," he said.

FRNSW previously disclosed that it had attended to 149 reported battery-related incidents in the first 10 months of 2023. About 22 percent of these incidents involved micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. Visit RoboCars.news to learn more about the dangers of electric vehicles. Watch this video showing how the lithium-ion batteries of electric vehicles are catching fire. This video is from the channel The Old Folk Show on Brighteon.com.

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Lithium-ion batteries of e-bikes and e-scooters are causing hundreds of fires in New York and San Francisco.

EV challenges: Electric car charging station’s power usage exceeds that of 280 HOMES. Electric car EXPLODES on driveway and sets fire to family home after battery malfunction. Electric cars in Florida catching fire after Hurricane Ian. Electric vehicle charging causes house fires that result in substantial losses. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com ABCNews.net.au 1 MSN.com ABCNews.net.au 2
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