SYDNEY, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australia's national and local authorities on Monday issued warnings of potentially deadly solar and lithium-ion batteries, noting they can overheat and catch fire, causing property damage and injuries.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a statement that it would directly contact almost 5,000 households that are likely to have solar energy systems with dangerous batteries.
"We remain very concerned about the fire risks these faulty batteries pose," said ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard.
She pointed out that since October 2019, there have been nine reported incidents involving these types of batteries in Australia resulting in property damage and one injury.
According to the statement, so far, about 2,900 batteries have been replaced or removed from consumers' properties, while a further 1,400 batteries have been switched off or have had the maximum charge capacity reduced to 75 percent.
The Fire and Rescue of New South Wales (FRNSW) also warned customers about the dangers related to lithium-ion battery-powered gifts, ahead of the Christmas shopping season.
Since Jan. 1, FRNSW crews have responded to 180 lithium-ion battery fires, compared with just over 16 in 2021.
NSW Minister for Flood Recovery, Emergency Services and Resilience Stephanie Cooke said that the number of recent lithium-ion battery-related fires should serve as an alarm for Christmas shoppers.
"Most of these fires occur when lithium-ion batteries are in the process of charging and overheating, causing an explosion of flames in living rooms or garages," Cooke said, urging people to treat lithium-ion battery-powered products with care. ■