Five hospitalised after early morning e-scooter blaze

A family injured after a new e-scooter exploded while it was charging have revealed how they escaped the blaze.

A family have revealed hearing a sound like they had “never heard before” as an e-scooter exploded inside their home, causing a blaze that hospitalised five people.

Kristan Saunders, 17, said his new e-scooter had been left charging overnight near the front door of his Darra home when the lithium battery exploded early on Thursday morning.

Kristan Saunders, 18, with his burnt-out e-scooter. Picture: John Gass

The terrifying noise woke Kristan, his mum, Rachel Saunders, and his stepdad Todd.

“That’s when I knew something really bad had happened,” Ms Saunders said.

She said her partner attempted to remove the scooter from the property but he tumbled onto it, suffering burns to his back.

“I grabbed Todd and pulled him out as well as grabbing the scooter at the same time… I just don’t know what happened,” Ms Saunders said.

“Todd’s going for surgery (on Friday). He’s got very bad burns that have gone down to his fat tissue. There’s no skin left, there’s not even hair follicles that hold the skin.”

An emotional Rachel Saunders. Picture: John Gass

Ms Saunders, who also suffered burns to her hands, said that her son, who is in remission from cancer, was given the Kaabo Skyline e-scooter after his old one was stolen just before Christmas.

“We got him a scooter so he wouldn’t have to walk from chemotherapy and this is what happens to us,” she said.

“He turns 18 next week and we can’t even be in our home.”

“It’s really bad, scooters are bad, they need to be banned because I nearly lost my kids.”

Ms Saunders said she had to physically remove Kristan from the house when the blaze started.

“Dragging him out was the scariest thing … I was ready to smash the window, but I thought to put my face inside my dress and I ran back in and told him to hold onto my waist and I just held my face and held him and just got him out,” she said.

Neighbour Edwin Ronquillo rushed to help the residents after he heard an explosion. Picture: John Gass

Ms Saunders praised his neighbour Edwin Ronquillo who rushed to help the family, armed with a fire extinguisher.

“That’s when old mate over the road came over, so thank god for him,” she said.

Mr Ronquillo said he leapt into action after hearing the explosion and the residents’ screams for help.

“When I got to the door I saw the scooter was on fire so I extinguished it,” he said.

“I knew there were four people in there but I only saw three people so I made sure the fourth wasn’t inside.

Mr Ronquillo suffered smoke inhalation and was hospitalised.

“I still have chest pain and short breath…It hurt too much,” he said.

Overheated lithium batteries have been found to emit dangerous gases that are at worst fatal and can cause severe irritation to eyes, skin and nasal passages.

The destroyed e-scooter. Picture: John Gass

A Queensland Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said that four crews were dispatched to the houseon Sigiriya St near Cardiff Rd just after 4am.

Upon arrival fire crews found the e-scooter on fire in the home before removing and extinguishing it within 10 minutes.

A QFES spokeswoman confirmed that the e-scooter’s battery exploded while charging causing the blaze.

Fire crews remained at the property until 4:45am for ventilation and atmospheric monitoring.

Neighbour Patricia Gibbs said that she woke to a bang early on Thursday morning.

“I didn’t think anything of it but then I heard the sirens and I’ve been watching the whole thing since this morning,” she said.

A fire investigator said the residents may not be able to return to the Darra property for some time.