Semi-trailer carrying lithium-ion mobile phone batteries goes up in flames on highway at Kempsey in northern NSW

Firefighters have confirmed lithium-ion batteries did not cause a fierce blaze which engulfed a truck in northern NSW – but the pallets of mobile phone size batteries did worsen the situation.

A multi-agency response was required to bring a fierce blaze engulfing a semi trailer under control at Kempsey.

A fierce blaze that engulfed a semi-trailer truck and its two trailers on the Pacific Highway this week kept reigniting due to dangerous cargo it was carrying — lithium-ion batteries.

It took Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) more than eight hours and the use of eight fire trucks and 32 firefighters from Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Wauchope to put out the fire.

The fire at Kempsey.

A FRNSW spokesman said following the incident about 2.30am on Monday that the uninjured truck driver managed to uncouple the B-double after the crash.

He drive the prime mover away from his two burning trailers on the north bound lanes of the Pacific Highway at Kempsey.

Emergency services responded to a fierce lithium battery fuelled fire on the Pacific Highway at Kempsey.

FRNSW Kempsey firefighter Gavin Hann said the mobile phone sized batteries did not start the fire – it was ignited by a wheel bearing that heated up.

‘The batteries didn’t start it, but they didn’t help,” he said.

“The fire was so prolonged because they kept reigniting it.”

The clean up operation.

It was the first time Mr Hanna’s team had fought a lithium-ion fuelled fire in a truck. Specialist hazardous materials (hazmat) firefighters were needed.

The hazmat team was assisted by the Environmental Protection Authority to manage the run off caused by the blaze and efforts to douse the flames.

The Rural Fire Service, NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and Transport for NSW also helped and the intense fire was finally extinguished about 11am on Monday.

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