Electric scooter and bike owners are being warned against juicing them up or charging them inside after several explosive battery fires.
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A large blaze that gutted a unit in Sydney's west on Friday was traced to a "high-performance" e-scooter left to charge inside.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry urged owners to charge the machines outside whenever possible.
"I'm not sure if they should be charged inside at all," he said.
The fire broke out at a unit complex in Wentworthville about 8am on Friday.
The ground-floor blaze left three residents on higher levels trapped on their balconies until they could be rescued by firefighters with ladders.
Three people inside the unit managed to escape, with one resident treated for smoke inhalation and taken to hospital.
Another resident from a separate unit was also transferred to a local hospital.
Video from the scene shows the living room completely destroyed by the fire, with copper shards from the scooter battery found peppered over the floor.
Supt Dewberry said battery fires can lead to thermal runaway, the release of an incredible amount of heat.
"Fortunately this fire happened when everyone was awake," he said.
"With a fire extinguisher in the hallway, they tried to put the fire out but it was way too intense."
Supt Dewberry reminded the public to ensure they buy products with lithium batteries only from reputable manufacturers and use them as intended.
"Don't modify it," he said.
"We are seeing some people who've bought a product, they want it to go a bit faster and longer and changing the battery with something that is not compatible.
"We are seeing a number of fires caused by this.
"Take it into the shop, get it serviced or upgraded. It could save your life."
Australian Associated Press
