Kim Macdonald: E-scooters, E-bikes a burning issue at apartments, strata groups fear lithium-ion battery fires

Occasionally, two trends rise and collide with fiery and sometimes fatal consequences. Such is the case with the growing cohort of e-scooting, e-bike riding residents living in the increasing number of apartment complexes. The problem occurs when e-tech has to be charged because most of that happens inside apartments, and lithium-ion batteries have a nasty habit of exploding and causing fires. In fact, 1000 fires nationally have been linked to the batteries in the past 15 months. The risk at a stand-alone house where charging usually happens in a concrete garage is somewhat constrained, but apartment fires potentially put more lives and property at risk. Of course, there is little risk if you use, store and charge devices properly. But how can apartment dwellers know if Mick next door is using caution or if he is overcharging his dodgy cut-price device with a shonky extension lead plugged into an overloaded electrical socket? Realising that residents are somewhat at the mercy of their neighbours, many want to regulate what goes on behind closed doors. And it is causing quite the gunfight. Some complain it is impractical to try to control the matter, but others want to persist, especially after a raft of east coast strata groups successfully introduced by-laws to ban residents from charging these items inside their units. Some have even banned residents from storing cheaper imported models or modified or damaged e-bikes anywhere on the property. The next step in this battle is communal fire-proof charging and storage stations—a potentially costly retrofit and another front in the fight for the residents who will never use them. Testimony to the danger, a woman in Adelaide this week caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage at the Oaks Adelaide Embassy Suites on North Terrace when her e-scooter battery exploded. The building had to be evacuated, and there was extensive smoke and water damage to several apartments. Police took the step of charging her over recklessly, causing property damage after it emerged she taped up smoke sensors so she could vape in peace. It raises some timely questions about insurance implications for homeowners. But renters should also be concerned. The Real Estate Institute of WA confirmed that if a tenant causes a fire, the landlord can potentially sue that person for fire damage, given legislation that renters can not intentionally or negligently cause damage to the premises. REIWA does not currently have a position on whether lithium-ion batteries should be charged inside apartments. But now is a good time for apartment owners to decide on their stance and perhaps ensure information sessions for residents. It’s an issue that won’t be extinguished anytime soon.