Five cars destroyed by lithium battery fire at Sydney Airport carpark

Graphic pictures and video have been released showing the intensity of an electric battery blaze that destroyed five cars at a Sydney Airport car park.

A fire, sparked by a lithium-ion battery from an electric car, has destroyed five cars at a Sydney Airport car park.

Fire and Rescue NSW were called to the fire at a parking lot on Airport Drive Mascot, about 8.30pm on Monday, after the fire broke out in a luxury electric car and spread to four other vehicles.

A lithium-ion battery, which had recently been detached from the luxury car and stored in the lot, was “quickly identified as having sparked the blaze”, fire authorities said in a statement.

The Aviation Rescue Firefighting Service was also involved in putting out the blaze.

Experts from FRNSW’s Fire Investigation and Research Unit are now investigating the circumstances around the blaze.

The damaged cars in a Sydney Airport carpark. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

The damaged cars in a Sydney Airport carpark. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

The damaged cars in a Sydney Airport carpark. Picture: Fire and Rescue NSW

Graphic footage from the burnt-out remains of the fives cars shows a mess of tangled metal, burnt out vehicles and molten pieces of metal on the ground.

Research officers from FRNSW’s Safety of Alternative and Renewable Energy Technologies team were also sent to inspect the scene.

The lithium ion battery that is believed to have sparked the fire.

“These insights will assist them in continually developing best practice for emergency response to lithium-related fires, and informing industry on how to manage the risks associated with emerging technologies,” Fire and Rescue NSW said in the statement.

Fire authorities have been warning of the dangers posed by lithium ion battery fires in recent years.

There were 213 suspected Lithium-Ion-related battery incidents attended by FRNSW across the state last year.

Almost 30 per cent related to batteries or chargers, 16 per cent to e-bikes or e-scooters, 16 per cent from mobile phones or laptop batteries and 14 per cent were related to power tool batteries

Fire and Rescue NSW are researching how to mitigate incidents involving electric EV technologies and how best to respond to incidents when they occur.