Crews issue warning after Brunswick West house fire

More than 25 FRV firefighters contained a significant house fire and saved a family’s cat in Brunswick West on Saturday evening. 

The fire at the double storey townhouse on Pearson Street was reported at 6.07pm.  

Crews arrived to find the property well alight, with thick black smoke issuing from the living room.

Incident controller Commander Paul Eckholdt said crews successfully contained the fire to the room of origin.

“The crews got on top of the fire very quickly and did an excellent job,” he said. 

As well as preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring properties, crews rescued the family's pet cat from the blaze.

The occupants were not home when the fire broke out. 

Commander Eckholdt said the fire started when a power board in the living room caught alight. 

Two lithium-ion e-bike batteries were plugged into the power board, on charge.  

“This unfortunate incident is a timely reminder to never leave devices charging when you are not home,” Commander Eckholdt said. 

“When you leave the house, unplug your chargers.” 

The living room of the house was extensively damaged as a result of the blaze. 

This is the second major house fire involving lithium-ion batteries that FRV crews have attended in the past two days. 

Crews also attended a significant house fire in Rowville on Friday, which was caused by an e-bike catching alight.

Tips for lithium-ion battery safety: 

• Purchase products from a reputable supplier and follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• Only use chargers and cords that are originally supplied with that device. Using chargers with incorrect power delivery (voltage and current) can cause damage to the battery or overheating that can lead to fires.
• Only use batteries that are designed for that device.
• Check that chargers have the Regulatory Compliance Mark, to show that they meet the relevant Australian Standards.
• Avoid charging LEV batteries overnight or leaving devices unattended while charging. Once the indicator shows that a device or battery has been fully charged, disconnect it from the charger.

• Devices should always be charged on non-combustible surfaces

  For more safety advice about lithium-ion batteries, visit: Battery Safety | Fire Rescue Victoria (frv.vic.gov.au)