6 Dead in Queensland. 290+ Fires in NSW. Why Apartment Buildings Are Ground Zero for Battery Fires.

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Six people died in lithium-ion battery fires in Queensland in 2025. The year before, the number was zero.

In January this year, 100 residents were evacuated from the Allegra tower on the Gold Coast after an e-bike battery exploded on the 11th floor at 3am. In Sydney, an e-bike fire in a Waterloo apartment stairwell required six fire trucks and 22 firefighters. In another Sydney incident, an e-bike battery exploded on the sixth floor of a 26-storey building, sending seven people to be treated for smoke inhalation while 80 to 100 residents were evacuated.

These aren't freak events. They're happening every week. And apartment buildings — with their shared walls, limited escape routes, and underground car parks — are increasingly where the worst outcomes are occurring.

The Numbers Behind the Crisis

The scale of Australia's lithium battery fire problem has escalated dramatically over the past 12 months:

• NSW: More than 290 lithium-ion battery fires and 53 injuries recorded in 2025, exceeding all previous annual totals. The NSW Coroner's Court has launched an inquiry examining three deaths and four serious fires linked to lithium batteries, with hearings running through to August 2026.
• Queensland: 325 fires linked to lithium batteries over the past two years. At least six fatalities in 2025 alone. Fire investigators warn the true number may be higher.
• Western Australia: Authorities report around three house fires per week, with 107 cases recorded in 2025. DFES has called lithium batteries the fastest growing home fire risk in WA.
• South Australia: MFS callouts to battery fires increased nearly tenfold over five years, with the first half of 2025 already exceeding half of the prior year's total.

Fire and Rescue NSW data shows lithium-ion batteries are now causing approximately six fires per week in NSW alone — predominantly from e-bikes, e-scooters, and smaller household devices.

Why Apartments Are Especially Vulnerable

A lithium battery fire in a standalone house is dangerous. A lithium battery fire in a multi-storey apartment building is potentially catastrophic. Here's why:

Shared corridors and limited exits. When a battery enters thermal runaway, it releases toxic gases — including hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide — that spread rapidly through shared hallways and ventilation systems. In a high-rise, the only escape routes are the very corridors filling with toxic smoke.

Charging in the worst possible locations. FRNSW has repeatedly warned against charging e-bikes and e-scooters near exits, in bedrooms, or in hallways — yet in apartment living, these are often the only spaces available. The Waterloo apartment fire started from an e-bike charging in the ground floor stairwell. The Wolli Creek fire started from an e-bike charging on a bed.

Underground car parks with EV charging. As EV charging installations in strata buildings surge (NSW strata reforms from July 2025 now prevent owners corporations from banning EV chargers on aesthetic grounds alone), car parks are becoming higher-risk environments that traditional sprinkler systems weren't designed to protect against.

Traditional fire systems don't work. Standard building sprinklers and fire extinguishers were not designed for lithium-ion battery fires. These fires burn at up to 1,600°C, can reignite hours after suppression, and involve chemical reactions that water alone cannot stop. As the Strata Community Association Queensland put it: "Lithium-ion battery fires are fast, ferocious and often fatal."

The NSW Coroner Is Now Investigating

This issue has reached the highest levels of scrutiny. The NSW Coroner's Court began hearing evidence in December 2025, examining the supply, charging, and disposal of lithium-ion batteries, the associated risks, and levels of public awareness. The inquiry is examining specific fatal fires at Guildford and Teralba and will resume in August 2026 to determine what changes can prevent future deaths.

Meanwhile, IAG — Australia's largest insurer, whose brands include NRMA Insurance, CGU, and RACQ — is leading a major research project with QUT and Standards Australia to develop national battery safety guidelines, with findings expected later this year. The head of the IAG Research Centre has said that the growth of Australia's lithium battery market is outpacing the development of safety standards.

The message from regulators, coroners, and insurers is converging: the current level of preparedness is not adequate.

What Strata Committees and Body Corporates Should Do Now

If you sit on a strata committee or manage a body corporate, you have a duty of care to residents. Here's what we recommend:

1. Install Specialised Fire Safety Equipment in Car Parks

If your building has EV charging stations — or even if residents simply park EVs in the car park — you need fire containment equipment designed for lithium battery fires. Our EV fire blankets (6m x 8m) are tested to EN13501 standards and can contain a full vehicle fire, limiting toxic gas spread and preventing fire propagation to adjacent vehicles and building structure.

2. Place Lithium-Ion Fire Extinguishers at Key Points

Standard fire extinguishers in your building's fire cabinets are not formulated for lithium battery fires. Add 9L EV fire extinguishers near EV charging stations, bicycle storage rooms, and building entries where e-bikes and e-scooters are stored or charged.

3. Update Your By-Laws

The Strata Community Association recommends that committees reassess by-laws relating to battery-powered devices. Consider rules that prohibit e-bike and e-scooter charging in apartments, stairwells, and common areas, and designate specific charging locations with appropriate fire safety equipment.

4. Review Your Insurance

Properties lacking appropriate fire safety measures for EVs and lithium batteries may face challenges obtaining adequate insurance coverage. Insurance industry commentary consistently advises checking exclusions relating to lithium-ion devices, as these are evolving rapidly. Having documented fire safety equipment and procedures strengthens your position.

5. Communicate With Residents

Many residents don't understand the risks. Share fire authority guidance with all occupants — particularly around safe charging practices, warning signs of battery failure, and what to do if a battery fire starts (evacuate immediately and call 000 — do not attempt to fight a lithium battery fire without specialised equipment).

What Individual Apartment Residents Should Do

You don't need to wait for your body corporate to act. Here's what you can do right now:

• Get a personal fire blanket. Our 2m x 2m e-bike/e-scooter fire blankets are compact enough to store in an apartment and can contain a small battery fire in those critical first moments.
• Keep a lithium-ion fire extinguisher on hand. Our 1L extinguisher is designed for exactly this — small, portable, and specifically formulated for lithium battery fires. Store it near where you charge devices.
• Never charge e-bikes or e-scooters inside your apartment. If your building doesn't have a designated charging area, charge in the garage or balcony — never in bedrooms, hallways, or near exits.
• Only use the charger that came with your device. Mismatched chargers are a leading cause of battery failure. If you need a replacement, buy from the original manufacturer.
• Know the warning signs. Swelling, unusual heat, hissing sounds, or strange odours from any battery device — stop using it immediately, move it outside if safe to do so, and contact the manufacturer.
• Check your contents insurance. Coverage may be void if you were using a non-compliant device or charging against safety guidelines.

This Isn't Going Away

EV adoption is accelerating. E-bike and e-scooter ownership is surging. More charging infrastructure is being installed in apartment buildings every month. The Queensland government has committed $2 million to address battery fire risks. The NSW Coroner is investigating. Insurers are reassessing their risk models.

The risk is here, it's growing, and the regulatory framework is scrambling to catch up. In the meantime, the responsibility falls on building managers, strata committees, and individual residents to make sure the right equipment is in place.

Don't wait for a fire in your building to be the one that makes the news.

Browse our full range of EV fire safety equipment →

Need advice on the right equipment for your building or strata complex? Contact our team — we provide tailored recommendations based on your building's layout, charging infrastructure, and number of residents.

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EV Fire Solutions is an Australian company specialising in fire safety equipment purpose-built for lithium-ion battery fires. Our products are tested to EN13501 standards and designed for rapid deployment by anyone, without specialised training. We supply homeowners, strata buildings, fleet operators, and businesses across Australia.

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Sources referenced in this article:

• Strata Community Association Queensland, January 2026
• Fire and Rescue NSW incident reports and lithium battery fire data, 2024–2025
• NSW Coroners Court inquiry into lithium-ion battery fires, December 2025
• WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Consumer Protection Commissioner's Blog
• SA Premier's Office / MFS / Consumer and Business Services campaign, February 2026
• IAG Research Centre lithium battery safety announcement, 2025
• Queensland Fire Department battery fire safety advisory, December 2025
• Queensland Department of Environment — $2M battery fire risk program
• NSW strata reforms, July 2025