An early morning e-scooter fire inside a Darra home left five people hospitalised due to injuries and smoke inhalation.
Five people –two men, a woman and two teenage girls– were hospitalised after an e-scooter caught fire. The incident happened at about 4 am Thursday 12 January 2023 inside their home on Sigiriya Street in Darra.
A man believed to be in his 40s sustained burn injuries on his back and was rushed to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in stable condition. Also taken to the hospital was a woman in her 30s who suffered minor hand burns, and two teenage girls and a man – in his 50s – due to smoke inhalation.
Four fire crews removed the e-scooter and extinguished the fire after 10 minutes. They remained at the property for about 45 minutes to ventilate the house and monitor the atmosphere.
Neighbours could be heard screaming immediately after the e-scooter went ablaze, recalls one resident who posted about the incident on her social media. Whilst another rushed to the scene with a fire extinguisher to help put out the fire.
The e-scooter reportedly exploded whilst charging.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said that Li-ion batteries that are damaged, exposed to heat sources or are charged inappropriately are at risk of catching fire or, in extreme cases, explosion.
Also, when they become overheated or catch fire, they are likely to emit a highly toxic vapour cloud.
If a lithium battery explodes or catches fire, do not breathe the air in the vicinity. Likewise, refrain from touching a damaged battery or device to prevent severe burns from occurring.
Published 12-January-2023