Fire and Rescue NSW respond to four lithium battery fires in less than 12 hours across Sydney
Firefighters have raised the alarm after a spike in lithium-ion battery fires, revealing a huge jump in the number of callouts due to dodgy e-bikes and e-scooters.
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Firefighters have responded to four lithium battery fires in just 12 hours across Sydney with claims some of the fires started from unqualified people modifying their e-bike and e-scooters.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Superintendent Adam Dewberry said crews had been responding to lithium battery fires almost daily, with four fires taking place overnight.
Mr Dewberry told The Daily Telegraph the most recent fire occurred at 7.39am on Thursday on Yalta St in Sadlier after a battery exploded and a man was “assessed for burns” along with smoke inhalation and shrapnel wounds.
He added the man declined transportation to hospital and the fire is believed to have been caused by using the wrong charger for the battery.
Mr Dewberry said the occupant admitted to modifying and repairing the device.
Crews also responded to a fire at 8.57pm on Wednesday on Railway St in Granville where a “home-made battery pack for an e-bike” exploded in the unit with Mr Dewberry explaining a neighbour had been assessed for smoke inhalation, however, they were not transported to hospital.
Less than two hours later, about 10.05pm on Railway St in Parramatta, Mr Dewberry said a scooter which caught on fire was extinguished.
Similarly, an e-bike caught on fire on Senior St in Canley Vale.
FRNSW has now revealed that these incidents are part of a wider surge in lithium-ion battery fires, with crews responding to 13 such blazes across NSW since February 2. So far in 2025, there have been 25 lithium-ion-related fires.
According to FRNSW statistics, Mr Dewberry told 2GB the growing trend of lithium-ion battery fires was continuing to worsen.
While admitting regulations had been tightened, Mr Dewberry added that he believed two out of the four fires overnight resulted from “people that are either trying to make their own e-bike or modify and repair e-bikes”.
“That’s a real concern … the people who are fixing them, and I’m seeing it a lot, just aren’t qualified to fix them,” he said.
“They’re trying to mix and match, put three bikes together to make one, same with scooters, they’re using the wrong chargers.”
In one of the recent incidents in Sydney’s southwest, firefighters extinguished an e-scooter that had exploded and caught fire, injuring two men—one who suffered smoke inhalation and another hit by flying shrapnel.
Mr Dewberry’s advice was just don’t do it.
“(A) gentlemen this morning … (suffered) burns and shrapnel (wounds),” Mr Dewberry said.
He added that “burns are lifelong”, very painful and life threatening and it was important for those dealing with these batteries to not just take care of them, but dispose them properly, either through their council instead of putting them in a bin.
A NSW Government survey has highlighted widespread unsafe charging habits for lithium-ion batteries, with many people leaving devices unattended, overcharging, or using low-quality chargers.
In response, new safety standards for e-micromobility devices took effect on February 1, with more regulations to follow.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell warned of a sharp rise in lithium battery fires, with 318 incidents recorded last year, up from 165 in 2022.
“Please, heed our advice. Lithium-ion fires are happening to households almost every day.
“We had two people die in such a fire last year, we had a family of seven narrowly escape a lithium-related blaze that destroyed their home at Penshurst late last month and we had to rescue three residents and a dog from a high-rise e-bike fire at Merrylands West around the same time.
“People are aware of the risks but are still willing to overcharge their lithium-ion batteries, leave them on charge when they sleep or mix and match power cords. It’s a recipe for disaster and they need to stop now.
“Don’t charge lithium-ion-powered devices near exit points. In at least three of the recent fires, residents were trapped by the flames and were forced to flee through windows.”
Authorities also raised concerns about improper battery disposal, with 25% of people still throwing them in household bins. Officials urged the public to follow safety guidelines to prevent further fires and fatalities.
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Originally published as Fire and Rescue NSW respond to four lithium battery fires in less than 12 hours across Sydney
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