- Published:
- Friday 11 April 2025 at 3:17 pm
Fires suspected to be caused by lithium-ion batteries have gutted a Templestowe house and destroyed a caravan in Newbridge.
Energy Safe is making inquiries into both incidents. Little is left of an e-scooter at the Templestowe property. Preliminary reports indicate a woman in the house was injured as she escaped the fire through a second-floor window.
All that remained of an e-scooter parked under the internal stairs of the house was the frame. The battery had been completely destroyed.
In a further incident overnight in Newbridge, a man was sitting outside his caravan at Newbridge, when he heard a ‘pop’ and fire broke out in his caravan. The caravan was destroyed and a lithium-ion battery, described as a ‘melted mess’ was pulled out and put in a garbage bin full of water.
Energy Safe CEO Leanne Hughson said there was little evidence from either site for Energy Safe investigators to look at. Initial inquiries suggest the e-scooter was not plugged in to a charger at the time of the fire.
“The battery on the e-scooter at the Templestowe house was completely gone. When lithium-ion batteries reach thermal runaway, it is like a fire and an explosion at the same time,” she said.
“We will be following up with both the owner of the house and the owner of the caravan to understand the circumstances leading up to the two separate incidents. This will add to our body of knowledge of the reasons lithium-ion batteries fail.
“This was a close call. These two fires destroyed a house and a caravan but fortunately no-one was killed.
“We currently have a community awareness campaign in place, warning people of the risks of lithium-ion batteries and the importance of using compatible batteries and charges.
“Other important safety measures include not overcharging the battery, do not repurpose batteries from one product to another, keeping exits clear when charging your device and looking for changes in the battery such as swelling and/or overheating. Where there are changes, stop using the battery and safely dispose of it.
“We are also considering a range of regulatory measures to increase safety around lithium-ion batteries and chargers.”
The most significant risks include:
- using lithium-ion batteries, products or chargers that are showing signs of damage
- repurposing lithium-ion batteries from one product to another
- using chargers and batteries that are not compatible.
More information: Battery fires can happen... before you know it. | Energy Safe Victoria
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Media contact: Jonathan Granger | 0400 948 934 | media@energysafe.vic.gov.au
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