00:00This is the aftermath of a lithium-ion battery fire and a close call for two students as
00:07they slept.
00:08Their home now burnt out and destroyed after a power bank left charging next to the bed
00:14overnight exploded, setting the mattress alight.
00:17They were in a bit of shock when we spoke to them this morning.
00:20They were very lucky to get out without being injured, to be honest.
00:24About 50 students in the Carlton Accommodation Building were evacuated as the fire took hold.
00:29I usually sleep with my laptop and my phone next to me on my desk.
00:33I'm not doing that anymore.
00:34I am going to keep my phone somewhere else from now on.
00:39Fire Rescue Victoria says it's responding to almost one fire per day in Melbourne caused
00:44by lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in smartphones, vapes and e-scooters.
00:50That is a trend that's growing and it's a trend that all fire services worldwide are
00:56dealing with.
00:57Our very, very strong advice to consumers is making sure you're buying batteries from
01:04reputable suppliers, don't buy them from the internet.
01:08In March, two women were killed after an e-bike battery caught fire near Newcastle.
01:14And in Queensland, a father-to-be was killed after an e-scooter exploded.
01:18In the city of Melbourne, a lot of apartment buildings, a lot of people use scooters for
01:23transport and then they'll charge those scooters inside their apartments.
01:27It is a real concern for fire services.
01:31This apartment is completely gusset and firefighters say concrete structures like this can reach
01:36up to 1,000 degrees, making it a very lucky escape for these two residents.
01:42The Energy Safety Regulator is warning consumers to never leave batteries unattended when charging
01:47for long periods, don't charge on a flammable surface like a bed or sofa, and never use
01:53incompatible chargers for batteries.
01:55It's not set and forget, you have to keep an eye on the battery.
01:58If it's hot, don't use it anymore.
02:01If you can see it bulging, definitely don't use it anymore.
02:05It's a timely warning in an increasingly device-dependent world.
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