An electric bike charger has been identified as the cause of an inferno which ripped through a Darlinghurst townhouse early this morning.
Emergency services were called to the inner-Sydney home on Flinders Street at 6am on Friday morning after reports of smoke coming from a terrace house.
Two of the residents were rescued from a balcony, one was rescued by firefighters and a further four were able to escape the fire themselves.
Six fire trucks and 30 firefighters attended the scene and were able to extinguish the blaze at around 8am before it spread to nearby residences.
Fire and Rescue NSW determined the cause of the fire was an e-bike which was left charging overnight.
The name and brand of the bike has not yet been revealed.
It is legal to ride an e-bike in Australia if the rider meets one of the following requirements: power-assisted bicycles using an electric motor and a power output of not exceeding to 200w.
Many e-bike manufacturers state it is safe to charge the device overnight, however users have warned others on forums to avoid ‘overcharging’ the bikes in case of overheating.
In a statement, Fire and Rescue NSW reminded the community when charging e-bikes to ensure:
– Only charge with the genuine manufacturer’s charger
– If battery pack is damaged get it repaired by an authorised repairer
– When possible charge bike aware from habitable areas of the home
– Ensure you always have a working smoke alarm
