A Newcastle man has been forced to jump out a window to escape a fire, thought to have been started by a faulty Lithium battery-powered e-scooter. The blaze broke out in the lounge room of a home in Macquarie Street, Merewether, just after 11 pm last night, while the occupant was sleeping.
A smoke alarm activated and was overheard by a neighbor, who managed to wake the man just in time and allow him to escape outside.
Fire and Rescue NSW
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) deployed 24 firefighters and six fire trucks to the scene, with crews forcing entry to the home and immediately attacking the flames. NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the resident for smoke inhalation.
The fire was brought under control in less than half an hour and extinguished a short time later. FRNSW's Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) is working to confirm whether an e-scooter left on charge caused the incident.
