BY IAN CROUCH
A devastating house fire at Teralba which claimed the lives of two women last week was caused by a Lithium-ion battery.
Fire & Rescue Commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell says fire investigators believe a battery was compromised and immediately went into 'Thermal Runaway', where the cell overheats and gives off toxic gases before exploding in flames.
Although they are yet to be formally identified, 59-year-old Therese Harris and 52-year-old Patricia Kerr perished in the blaze.
It's the first deaths caused by a lithium-ion battery fire in NSW.
Two other people managed to escape the inferno at the Railway Street townhouse last Thursday morning.
Fire authorities are again warning about the dangers of leaving batteries on charge while sleeping.
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| The townhouse sustained extensive damage in the fire Picture: Fire &Rescue NSW |
