Twenty people safely evacuated following hotel fire - Burwood
Published: 02 Oct 2024 02:53pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have extinguished a hotel fire early this morning at Burwood in Sydney’s inner west, leaving one accommodation room totally destroyed.
The blaze broke out at 5.45am on the second floor within the hotel on the corner of Paramatta Road and Burwood Road.
More than 35 firefighters and eight fire trucks responded to multiple Triple Zero (000) calls to flames and smoke issuing from the property.
Upon arrival, FRNSW crews observed heavy smoke issuing from the second level of the two-storey building, with firefighters entering the property to determine the location of the fire.
They quickly worked their way to the second level where they found the front room of the building fully engulfed in flames.
Crews managed to contain and extinguished the fire in approximately 20 minutes.
Firefighters also searched the building following initial reports of one person unaccounted for. It was subsequently confirmed that the occupant had left for work earlier that morning.
The hotel’s alarm system alerted occupants to the fire, and firefighters safely evacuated 20 people from the premises.
There were no reported injuries.
Investigations are now underway to determine whether lithium-ion batteries were the cause of the fire as multiple vape batteries were on charge in the accommodation room.
FRNSW urges extreme caution when charging lithium-ion batteries:
- Never sleep or leave home with your lithium-ion battery-powered devices charging
- Don’t overload power boards or leave them constantly on charge
- If lithium-ion batteries are damaged or compromised, dispose of them properly
- Don’t throw them out in the rubbish, they can start garbage truck or rubbish tip fires
- Contact your local, approved recycling centre for disposal advice
- Don’t leave devices charging on beds, sofas or around highly flammable materials
- Try to charge devices outside if possible
- Always buy reputable lithium-ion battery brands and never ‘mix and match’ components
- Beware of cheap, substandard lithium-ion battery-powered devices
- Avoid dropping, crushing or piercing battery cells
- Store batteries and devices in a cool, dry area, away from combustible materials
- Install active smoke alarms in your home/garage
- Ensure you have a home evacuation plan in the event of fire
Media note: FRNSW vision of the incident is available here https://vimeo.com/1015027772/9edd256742?share=copy [external link]
Updated: 02 Oct 2024 02:58pm
Related safety topics
It's important that we all understand the risks of lithium-ion batteries and be prepared if things go wrong.
It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
For flood information, warnings or requests for non-life threatening assistance, call the SES on 132 500 or visit the NSW State Emergency Service website here. [external link].
For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link]
Stations nearby
12b Livingstone Street, Burwood NSW 2134
16 Victoria Street, Ashfield NSW 2131
153 Concord Road, Concord (North Strathfield) NSW 2137