VIDEO ALERT – E-bike at the centre of fatal house fire investigation

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) investigators are focusing on a charging e-bike battery as the cause of a fatal house fire this morning at Guildford in Sydney’s west.

FRNSW crews have confirmed there were no working smoke alarms in the Rowley Road house that caught alight, just before 5am.

Responding to multiple Triple Zero (000) calls, firefighters found a bedroom in the home well ablaze. There were reports of a person trapped inside and crews quickly entered the burning building to carry out a search.

A man was located in the bedroom and removed from the property but tragically, he could not be revived.

Five other people evacuated the home prior to the arrival of firefighters and were assessed for smoke inhalation by NSW Ambulance paramedics, with one person transported to hospital.

Crews were able to contain the fire to the bedroom but the remainder of the home suffered smoke damage.

The FRNSW Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) has examined the scene with Police forensic experts.

They have determined that an incompatible charger was powering the e-bike battery in the bedroom at the time of the fire.

The food delivery bike itself was found outside the home.

The Fire Investigators believe the battery was unable to absorb the energy generated by the charger and overheated, likely causing the fire.

FRNSW and NSW Police are preparing information for the Coroner.

Fire and Rescue NSW is urging the public not to mix and match batteries and chargers to prevent lithium-ion fires. Always charge lithium-ion battery devices with their dedicated power packs.

FRNSW is also reminding homeowners and landlords that working smoke alarms save lives. Every home must have a working smoke alarm, and landlords have an added legislative requirement that they must be less than 10 years old and are checked annually. For more information, visit www.fire.nsw.gov.au/smokealarms

For further information on lithium-ion batteries and how to shop, charge and recycle safely, visit www.fire.nsw.gov.au/chargesafe

Media note – FRNSW footage of the scene is available here: https://vimeo.com/1057708717/e8430c25e9