Pakistani student killed in Australia house fire

SYDNEY: A 21-year-old Pakistani student, Haidar Ali, lost his life in a tragic house fire in Sydney, Australia, after a lithium-ion battery exploded while charging in his room.

The fire broke out just before 5 AM on Tuesday at a house on Rowley Road, Guildford. While five of his housemates managed to escape, Ali was trapped inside and could not be saved, according to 7 News.

The Pakistani student, Ali. had recently moved from Pakistan to Australia and was working as a food delivery rider on his e-bike while studying civil construction.

“He was a very good man,” said his friend Muhammad Asif.

A neighbour, who was awakened by the explosion, described seeing the house engulfed in flames. She immediately called emergency services while Ali’s housemates desperately tried to put out the fire with a hose.

Fire and Rescue NSW Assisting Commissioner Michael Morris revealed that this was the third lithium-ion battery fire in the past 24 hours. He warned about the dangers of these batteries, explaining that they can enter a “thermal runaway” state, causing explosions, intense heat, and toxic smoke.

Authorities advised people not to charge e-bikes while sleeping, to keep them away from exit pathways, and to ensure smoke alarms are installed. There was no indication that the Guildford home had a working smoke alarm.

Ali’s family has been informed, and arrangements are being made to repatriate his body to Pakistan. He was the eldest of three siblings.

Hamid Saroha from the Pakistan Association of Australia expressed deep sorrow, calling it a heartbreaking loss for the entire Pakistani community. He urged people to avoid low-quality e-bikes, warning that they could be life-threatening.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

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