Fire and Emergency urges caution after lithium-ion battery explosion in Wellington apartment

29 Hōngongoi 2023

Fire and Emergency is urging people to take care charging lithium-ion batteries after crews were called to an explosion in an inner city apartment building in Wellington just before 6pm this evening.

Incident Controller Mike Dombroski says on arrival crews found a fire in an apartment on the first floor caused when an electric scooter being charged inside the apartment exploded.

"Two sprinklers were activated and crews used hoses connected to the apartment water system to extinguish the fire," Mike Dombroski says.

"Wellington Free Ambulance say they have transported one person in a critical condition to hospital," he says.

Anybody using these batteries for any reason, please take care as they are a fire risk when not stored, charged, used or disposed of correctly," Mike Dombroski says.

"Only use chargers that are supplied with the device, don’t charge them on or near flammable surfaces, and avoid leaving lithium-ion batteries or devices charging for prolonged periods of time."