Fire and Rescue NSW extinguish large blaze threatening units at Maroubra
More than 100 people have had to be evacuated from an apartment block in the Eastern Suburbs this morning after a fire erupted in a business below them.
NSW
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Around 100 people have been evacuated from an apartment block in Maroubra after an allegedly faulty lithium battery caused a fire.
Emergency services were called to Anzac Parade at 7am Wednesday after reports of a fire at a mobile phone shop.
Six fire trucks and 22 firefighters arrived on scene and worked to extinguish the blaze.
The shop was under eight levels of apartments which had to be evacuated, resulting in 100 people leaving their homes.
The fire was contained and reportedly no apartments were damaged.
NSW Fire and Rescue superintendent Adam Dewberry said there was a strong interest in lithium ion batteries.
“They can spontaneously combust without warning,” he said.
“They burn hot, hard and fast.”
Mr Dewberry said the fire department had received many similar call-outs over the last year after the batteries, which can be found in some phone products, e-bikes and escooters, combust without warning.
“Some people often will modify the batteries for whatever reason,” Mr Dewberry said.
“It’s just turning to custard.”
He said a lithium ion battery blaze could often be difficult to put out because of its ability to reignite.
“People often think they’ve put the battery fire out, but if they don’t manage the temperature it can reignite with explosive consequences.”
Nestor Adiehyo was making coffee at the next door espresso bar when the fire started.
“Everyone was out on the street, many came in for coffee,” he said.
“None of them seemed very concerned. Nothing worries people in Maroubra.”
Apartment residents Shane Harris and his daughter Allie Adams-Harris were evacuated just after 6.30am and weren’t allowed back in for over an hour.
“I was a bit worried,” Ms Adams-Harris.
“I could see the smoke outside my window as I woke up and the smell.”
The street smelled like burnt chemicals long after the fire was put out.
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