LAKE Macquarie Police believe the charging of a lithium ion battery in a garage may have started a fire that destroyed a Caves Beach home on Wednesday.
Investigations are continuing into the blaze that gutted the seaside property on The Esplanade.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews have handed over the investigation to Lake Macquarie Police.
"While the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, initial inquiries suggest batteries being charged in the garage of the property may have ignited," a police spokesperson said.
It is the third lithium battery fire in the Hunter in recent weeks, including one on February 29 at Teralba that claimed the lives of two women.
Last week a tradesman drove to the Tingira Heights Fire Station, after his toolbox caught fire.
Firefighters opened the toolbox and saw the dirt bubbling as the battery had entered a process, known as thermal runaway where the cell was off-gassing and threatening to explode.
Firefighters submerged the battery in a container of water until the danger had passed.
Fire and Rescue NSW has recorded 63 lithium-Ion battery fires in 2024, subject to review, at a rate of 5.7 blazes a week.
This led to FRNSW issuing a statement last week, warning about the dangers of charging the devices.
On Wednesday dozens of firefighters were called into action after the property on The Esplanade went up in flames in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
A 000 call was made just after midnight about the fire.
Firefighters arrived to find a garage well alight.
More than a dozen residents had evacuated from the home and neighbouring properties. No injuries were reported.
Despite the efforts of 36 firefighters and 12 trucks, the blaze quickly spread to the attached two-storey home.
An aerial appliance also attended and was able to access the fire on the second story from above.
A Fire and Rescue NSW spokesperson said the home was "severely damaged", but firefighters did manage to protect neighbouring houses.
Fire crews returned to the Caves Beach home on Wednesday morning to extinguish a small re-ignition.
A hazmat crew were also called to the scene after a small amount of asbestos was found in the damaged house.
