Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has urged the public to wake up to the risks of lithium-ion battery products amid a spate of dangerous fires.
FRNSW crews have responded to multiple across NS, including four incidents in a 12 hour period.
So far in 2025, there have been more than 25 lithium-ion-related fires.
In one incident in Sydney’s southwest, firefighters extinguished an e-scooter that had exploded and caught fire. Two men sustained injuries, one from flying shrapnel and the other from smoke inhalation.
While investigations are ongoing, it is believed the fire was caused by an incorrect charger being used in tandem with a modified device, two of the leading causes of lithium-ion battery related fires.
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“We had at least 318 lithium-ion battery fires in NSW last year, that’s well up on the 272 of 2023 and 165 of 2022, we know they are on the rise, but people are still taking dangerous risks in their homes,” Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell said.
“Please, heed our advice. Lithium-ion fires are happening to households almost every day.”
Commissioner Fewtrell highlighted the tragic deaths of individuals following battery fires, and families placed at risk after leaving batteries on charge overnight.
“We had two people die in such a fire last year, we had a family of seven narrowly escape a lithium-related blaze that destroyed their home at Penshurst late last month and we had to rescue three residents and a dog from a high-rise e-bike fire at Merrylands West around the same time,’ he said.
A recent NSW Government survey has also highlighted a high-degree of community complacency around the risks associated with the use of lithium-Ion battery products.
The Department of Customer Service (DCS) survey within the community shows that while 44% of people understand the risks associated with the use of lithium-ion battery products, they’re still willing to engage in risky behaviours when charging their portable devices.
Overall, the survey also showed there was limited knowledge about how to safely use lithium-ion battery products, with around 32 per cent of respondents not knowing how to implement safety measures and 29 per cent being unsure how to implement safety measures.
“People are aware of the risks but are still willing to overcharge their lithium-ion batteries, leave them on charge when they sleep or mix and match power cords. It’s a recipe for disaster and they need to stop now,” Commissioner Fewtrell said.
“Don’t charge lithium-ion-powered devices near exit points. In at least three of the recent fires, residents were trapped by the flames and were forced to flee through windows.
