Lithium battery explosion sparks fire through Power-Packed Batteries workshop in Nairne

A Hills family has lost their business after their uninsured workshop was ravaged by a fire caused by a lithium ion battery explosion.

Nairne's Power-Packed Batteries has been forced to temporarily shut due to a devastating fire. Picture: Supplied

The owners of an Adelaide Hills battery business have told of their devastation after they were forced to watch helplessly as their workshop was ravaged by fire – sparked by a lithium ion battery explosion.

And to make matters worse, the prohibitive cost of insuring such a business against fire meant they weren’t covered.

Power-Packed Batteries Workshop, on Nairne’s main street, makes and repairs batteries and has operated for almost 30 years.

Last Monday the workshop and stock was badly damaged after a lithium battery exploded – and a second battery also ignited.

The damage bill was estimated to be at least $55,000.

Nairne's Power-Packed Batteries has been forced to restrict their business after a devastating fire. Picture: Supplied.

The business was not insured. Picture: Supplied.

Owner Peter Summers said the workshop was “burning” and “smouldering” for hours before anyone was alerted to the fire.

He blamed himself for slipping up and leaving a “problematic” battery on the workshop desk, rather than taking the extra precaution of placing it outside.

Mr Summers’ son and business partner Blake, 25, said he felt “despair” and “hopelessness” as he waited for the firefighters to arrive and attempt to save the family business.

“I was returning from my interstate road trip,” he said.

“As I pull into the drive way, I see the fire inside the workshop.

“Already everything was just black and destroyed.

“To see it all being destroyed … I don’t even know how to describe the feeling … it was just like a pit in my stomach.

“I felt like everything that I was working towards just became that much harder to achieve.

“I’ve just poured so much of myself into trying to do the right thing by my dad, to do right by the business and our customers.”

The pair contained the fire with their garden hose.

“For our battery business – fire insurance would have been upwards of $100,000 per year,” Blake said.

The business has been forced to limit orders and has warned customers about longer wait times for jobs.

However, the Summers say they feel “overwhelmed with pure gratitude” towards the community, neighbours and friends who have supported them.

The family has created a GoFundMe to raise funds to repair and restock.

Originally published as Lithium battery explosion sparks fire through Power-Packed Batteries workshop in Nairne