Dog dies in Taihape blaze, charging battery to blame
A large group of people stood in the front yard of a Taihape home, staring at its ruins. A man had just finished filling in a hole the homes dog had died in the fire and was being buried. Flames had ripped through the roof, burning into the home below. Its windows were blown out by the force of the blaze that began in the early hours of Monday morning. The occupants had left the home only 30 minutes before their smoke alarm began blaring, sparking 111 calls at 5.30am. READ MORE: * Firefighters put out blaze at restaurant on Wellington's Cuba St * Australian house fire sparks call for stricter rules for lithium-ion batteries * 'Orange flash' before Australian woman's house burnt down Firefighters from the Taihape, Whanganui, Mangaweka, Palmerston North and Waiouru brigades rushed to the blaze on Takahe St on the outskirts of the town. Four trucks fought the flames that severely damaged the home, Fire and Emergency spokesman Murray Dunbar said. Another support vehicle and command unit were also sent to assist, relieving volunteers so they could return to their day jobs. Firefighters had extinguished the blaze later in the morning and were sifting through the remnants of the home, making sure the fire didn't start again, Dunbar said. Police were also at the scene, a spokeswoman said. Fire investigators at the scene found a lithium-ion battery for a drone was the cause of the blaze. The battery was charging in the lounge when the fire began. The homeowners had only just left, fire investigator John Hotter said. Ensuring batteries were not damaged and keeping an eye on them while theyre charging could help reduce the risk of damage if it spontaneously combusts. Be careful of charging lithium-ion batteries, Hotter said. I dont know if anyones actually come to grips with what causes them. They can be OK for a day and then suddenly they catch fire. More than 70 fires in the past 10 years have been caused by lithium-ion batteries, a 2020 Fire and Emergency report says. Theres limited research on the numbers and effect of fires caused by the batteries making it difficult to fully appreciate the extent of the problem, the report says. But in the past decade at least 12 fires have been caused by radio-controlled toys or drones, with seven of those recorded in the past four years. Lithium-ion batteries supply power to devices such as smart phones, laptops, e-bikes, scooters, e-cigarettes, smoke alarms, toys, tools and cars.