Ep. 19: Firefighters Battle Growing Lithium Battery Crisis

In this episode of Chemical Safety at Work, we dive into the fastest-growing fire risk in Australia—lithium-ion battery fires. With data from Fire and Rescue NSW and shocking recent incidents from across the country and beyond, we explore why battery fires are becoming more frequent, more intense, and more dangerous. 

We break down key statistics, including the alarming rise in lithium-ion battery-related fires, real-world cases of devastating explosions, and why these fires are so difficult to extinguish. Plus, we share expert-backed safety tips to help you minimise risks at home and in the workplace. 

Whether you’re a WHS professional, a business owner handling battery-powered equipment, or simply concerned about fire safety, this episode will give you the knowledge to stay ahead of this growing hazard. 

🔥 Stay informed, stay safe—listen now! 

🧑‍🚒 Discover FRNSW' resources here: FRNSW Website , FRNSW Battery Resources Page

🔎 Learn from Storemasta's lithium-ion battery safety blogs here: HERE

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts! 

Chapters

• 14:03 Mel's Japan Adventure
• 28:03 Lithium
• 9:49:01 Tips for Handling Lithium

Transcript

Patrick Gee: 0:06

Hello and welcome back to the Chemical Safety at Work podcast. It's great to have Mel back in the studio this week after her recent trip to Japan. How was it the?

Melissa Hampton: 0:14

pics looked awesome. It was amazing. Thanks, pat. Such a great time, lots of sightseeing, lots of good food, good people and a bit of snowboarding in there as well Lovely.

Patrick Gee: 0:24

Yeah, definitely keen to go to japan for sure sounds great. In this episode, we wanted to revisit everyone's favorite topic, lithium-ion batteries. So we just want to talk about some of the risks involved with lithium-ion batteries again, and that's for a couple of reasons. Right now, for sure.

Melissa Hampton: 0:40

So, firstly, we've been in contact with fire and rescue new south w and they've given us their most up-to-date statistics regarding lithium-ion battery fires in the state, as well as their take on the risks they present in 2025. Secondly, our feeds and inboxes have been full of major incidents caused by faulty lithium-ion batteries. That's already happened this year, and it appears that the rapidly advancing rate of battery fires is set to continue.

Patrick Gee: 1:06

Yeah, and some of those events really highlight the potential devastation that these devices can cause and we really think that's worth considering. We just compiled a list of those headlines and recent incidents that we want to run through, so let's get into it. So yeah, as you said, we've been in touch with the spokeswoman from Fire and Rescue New South.

Melissa Hampton: 1:27

Wales.

Patrick Gee: 1:27

The reason we wanted to speak to them is because we really consider them Australia's leading authority on battery fire risks, battery management and fire prevention, as well as emergency response practices.

Melissa Hampton: 1:39

Yeah, we believe they're putting out the best safety information with absolutely awesome resources on their website and they're really out the best safety information with absolutely awesome resources on their website and they're really leading the way forward in this area. So thank you to them. If you want to go check out more information, you can access the resources on wwwfirenswgovau.

Patrick Gee: 1:57

Yeah, and so, yeah, I'll just read out some of what they told us now. So they said lithium-ion batteries are still the fastest fastest growing fire risk. In New South Wales, Fire and Rescue attended 317 lithium ion battery fires in 2024, and that equates to almost one per day. However, the figure is expected to increase as they finalise and confirm incident data from the end of last year.

Melissa Hampton: 2:23

Yeah, that's massive and confirm incident data from the end of last year. Yeah, that's massive, and there's since been a significant increase in lithium-ion battery fire incidents so 27 2 incidents in 2023, that was marking a 66% increase from the 165 incidents in 2022. As of February 10 this year, there has been 25 battery fires already in New South Wales and 13 of those happen in just one week. Fire and rescue statistics indicate that people are four times more likely to be injured by a fire which originates from a lithium-ion battery in comparison to other fire types.

Patrick Gee: 2:59

Yeah, that really shows how vicious these fires can be. Yeah, so in 2024, new South Wales recorded its first two fatalities due to a lithium-ion battery fire. Fire and Rescue say it is essential to understand and manage risks to protect life and property.

Melissa Hampton: 3:15

So high-powered battery technology is just being adopted at such a fast rate right now. So fire rates are bound to keep increasing, but let's see what we can do to combat that with some information and awareness in 2025.

Patrick Gee: 3:28

And so, yeah, we just have a list of some of those battery fire events that have made their way into our inboxes already in 25. Most are Australian cases, but there are some examples from overseas, just because we think they highlight specific risks or something unique about the event. So in 2024, in July, an e-bike battery explosion in a multi-storey unit block in Sydney saw seven people treated for smoke inhalation. The same month, two caravans were destroyed by a fire in a Bundaberg dealership after a lithium-ion battery caught fire near mattresses.

Melissa Hampton: 4:03

So from August this is outside of Australia there was an EV battery fire which engulfed a Tesla truck after a highway crash. The Tesla semi-fire needed 50,000 gallons of water to extinguish. Also from August, there was a new battery crackdown in New South Wales. So after the huge rise in fires in Australia, there's actually now new requirements for products being sold in New South Wales with batteries.

Patrick Gee: 4:26

Yeah, In November, three people were hospitalised after a suspected e-scooter fire engulfed a garage in Sydney's south, and in December in Hillsborough a fire investigator determined a house fire to be caused by a battery failure while charging as well.

Melissa Hampton: 4:44

Yeah, all too common and coming to 2025,. In January, there was smoke that billed from Wollongong Garage after an e-scooter fire. Chinese power tool manufacturer faces class action over fire-prone lithium batteries and half of businesses experienced lithium-ion battery incidents. Published by the Eastern Daily Press, which surveyed 501 UK businesses connected by the Norwich-based insurance company.

Patrick Gee: 5:11

We've seen a few of those manufacturer battery recalls as well across the world. So consider the sources of your batteries?

Melissa Hampton: 5:21

Absolutely, and there was another Cybertruck up in flames. So Tesla catches fire amid quiet battery recall.

Patrick Gee: 5:29

Also in January and these few are from the same event. These headlines here. So a fire breaks out at a huge battery site in California. Fire reignites at California battery plant after evacuations amid toxic smoke. Officials waiting for Moss Landing Power plant fire to burn out. I think they paint a bit of a picture around lithium-ion batteries and the specific risks and hazards there. So the Monterey County Supervisor, glenn Church, said after thorough discussions with our local fire officials, it is clear that there is no proven way to put out one of these fires once it has reached this magnitude. Attempts to put out battery fires at other sites have only worsened the situation. Water is used initially only when the batteries start to heat, not when flames have emerged. I find the lack of a proven system to extinguish the fires highly alarming. So North Monterey County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Joel Mendoza said fire flare-ups caused high-intensity flames. This is normal for lithium-ion battery fires. We knew it was going to happen.

Melissa Hampton: 6:34

Not good. Okay, now back to Australia. There was a family of seven makes miraculous escape from two-storey house after horror fire spreads uncontrollably in Sydney's south. While the cause of this fire is still officially under investigation, firefighters noted several lithium-ion batteries were on charge in the garage at the time of the fire and this will form part of the investigation.

Patrick Gee: 6:58

Yeah, so it's interesting it's becoming one of the first things that they look to identify when there's a structure fire or a house fire like that, and then, obviously, the rapid rate of the fire taking off. So, yes, scary.

Melissa Hampton: 7:08

Very In mid-January, frnsw Commissioner Jeremy Fetwell reminded the public of the danger of lithium-ion battery-powered devices. He said time after time we see situations where occupants find themselves trapped by a fire caused by faulty lithium-ion battery fires. Residents can't escape, leaving them exposed to toxic and explosive gas expelled by the batteries and the intense fires that generally follow. These types of blazes are often more intense than regular fires due to the energy stored in the batteries, and they burn faster.

Patrick Gee: 7:41

So this is another one from January. Community support helps business bounce back from tragedy. On January 21 21, a family business, power batteries in nan, south australia, had its workshop destroyed in an e-bike battery fire. These next ones are the same incident gold coast unit explodes in flames as hot e-scooter battery put in a freezer and man's dramatic escape from gold coast fire after e-scooter battery explodes at Southport home. The firefighters in that instance said that the man had tried to cool an overheating battery by putting it in the freezer and said rechargeable batteries in thermal runaway should never be put in the freezer. And this one's from January 30. Melbourne warehouse fire fuelled by lithium-ion batteries sends smoke over Cheltenham. Lithium-ion battery fire prevents police from saving driver stuck in a burning Tesla. So that's just going to show the challenges that are presented to emergency services as well. Just as these, especially EV lithium-ion batteries are so large and powerful, hot and intense, they can't get close enough.

Melissa Hampton: 8:47

Yeah, and that's all just happened just in January. So in February 2025, a man was injured by shrapnel in an e-scooter explosion at Sadler in Sydney. Lithium battery completely destroys plane just before takeoff. 176 people emergency evacuated. And I'm just going to read off a couple of lines from this one to give some context. So cause of fire Authorities are investigating the cause of fire, with initial reports suggesting that it may have been triggered by a portable battery stored in an overhead bin. Photos on the internet show the top of the plane's fuselage completely burned off.

Patrick Gee: 9:23

Yeah, well, imagine if that plane had been in the air Like there's not a whole lot you can do and that could be a camera battery in someone's backpack or a pair like a power bank or yeah you know who what, who knows what it is.

Patrick Gee: 9:37

So from these stories you really get a sense of those specific risks and the specific fire hazards posed by batteries and the severity of a battery fire and the potential consequences. There's a lot at stake here. So battery fires are explosive, fast burning, extremely hot. They release toxic fumes and are near impossible to extinguish.

Patrick Gee: 9:59

So, we've got a few tips here on how to store and handle lithium-ion batteries. Don't overcharge them. Monitor charging and unplug them at between 80% and 100% charge, but just don't leave them on charge overnight. Store and charge them in cool, dry locations. Select a safe surface to charge on, preferably a hard, non-combustible surface. Correct, certified, high-quality charger. Handle batteries with care to avoid damage and inspect batteries for damage. Before using them or putting them on the charger, consider the location and the surroundings of your battery, especially powerful batteries like e-bike batteries. Don't leave them in the doorway of your apartment say if any, if you have a battery you're stuck.

Patrick Gee: 10:44

Discard dead batteries with the terminals taped at registered recycling drop points and use dedicated battery storage and charging devices.

Melissa Hampton: 10:54

Thanks, Pat, and thanks to those listening to today's episode. I hope you found this insightful learning about the risks and the events that have been happening recently. Please stay safe out there. Spread the word about for battery safety measures. If you see a situation that doesn't look safe, point it out and help educate and inform your friends, families, colleagues and neighbours. For more information on lithium-ion battery safety, head to the resources.