Lithium-ion battery exploded in Melbourne home and causes $100,000 worth of damage

The drill Lithium-ion battery exploded in Melbourne home and causes $100,000 worth of damage. The owner was not at home and when she arrived at her home, she found smoke was coming out from her bedroom and through house. She called firefighters who put out the fire.

Firefighters then found the culprit, an Ozito lithium-ion battery.

The owner said the battery was not even charging when it exploded. It was just sitting on a table. Lithium-ion batteries are common in most of all type of power tools, laptops, vacuum cleaners and e-scooters as well mobile phones.

Consumer Advise:

According to ACCC website whilst incidents are rare, they appear to be increasing and are serious when it occurs. The batteries can overheat or explode if they are used, charged, or disposed incorrectly or they are damaged.

• Consumers should avoid mixing and matching charges.
• Monitor charging times of lithium-ion products and disconnect products from chargers once they are fully charged. Consider setting timers as a reminder to unplug products.
• Keep lithium-ion batteries out of household garbage or recycling bins and kerbside hard waste collections.
• Charge lithium-ion batteries and products away from combustible materials such as beds, sofas or carpet.
• Store batteries and lithium-ion products in cool, dry places and out of direct sunlight, including while charging.
• Do not use batteries, products or chargers that are overheating or showing signs of failure such as swelling, leaking or venting gas.
• Check the charger you are using is suitable for the product being charged.
• Allow time for batteries to cool after use and before charging.
• In the event of a fire, consumers should contact 000 immediately. For more information on what to do in case of fire or explosion contact your state or territory fire department.