A family’s electric bike has exploded into flames, causing significant damage to their home in Adelaide’s west.
Fire crews rushed to the property on Anzac Highway in Camden Park just before 10.30am on Monday.
South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service station officer Craig Attard said the residents were lucky to escape serious injury.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and linked to the battery of the electric bike.
The mother and daughter inside escaped in time.
“They tried to get to the bike to remove the bike out of the premises initially, but it accelerated into flames quickly so they moved out and shortly after it exploded,” Attard said.
Significant damage was caused to the inside of the house before crews were able to extinguish the flames.
The damage is estimated at up to $200,000.
Attard said they were seeing a worrying trend of fires being started by exploding batteries and urged owners of electric bikes, cars and scooters to be aware of the risks.
“An explosion like that with batteries exploding on the face or the skin can be horrific so they were very lucky,” he said.
“The safety procedures are not catching up to that new technology so just be wary of them like we are.”
