Source : Perth Now news
A Brisbane man’s pants caught fire near Byron Bay’s Main Beach after a vape and loose coins were reportedly in his pocket, sending him to hospital with a minor burn.
The 56-year-old presented to Byron Central Hospital at 3.15pm on Saturday after the incident, which the Northern NSW Local Health District confirmed happened near the beach precinct.
He was treated for a minor burn to his leg and later discharged, with a referral to Royal Brisbane Hospital’s burns clinic for review.
The incident came as authorities continued warning about the fire risk linked to lithium-ion batteries, which are used in common household items including vapes, power banks, e-bikes and e-scooters.
In a statement issued in April, the Minns government said it was responding to the rise in battery-related fires with new regulation and an expanded public safety campaign aimed at keeping dangerous batteries out of household bins.
In 2025, Fire and Rescue NSW recorded 332 lithium-ion battery-related incidents.
So far in 2026, there had been more than 60 battery fires in the community and at least 12 in garbage trucks, waste facilities and rubbish tips. Over 100 waste industry fires are also suspected to involve batteries.
New laws, which recently passed parliament, made NSW the first state in Australia to introduce mandatory battery regulation, requiring brand owners to take responsibility for safe collection, processing and recycling at the end of a product’s life.
The regulation will apply to small and removable batteries under 5kg, including AA and AAA batteries, power banks, and batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters.
It is expected to start on October 1, and battery suppliers who fail to comply could face penalties of up to $880,000.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said fires caused by faulty or damaged lithium-ion batteries burned “much more fiercely than regular fires”.
“The heat inside a compromised cell grows until it expels a toxic cloud of flammable gas that can explode in flames inside your home, or in a garbage truck,” Mr Fewtrell said.
