Two backpackers have had a miraculous escape after coming very close to being incinerated by an exploding e-bike at their hostel.
The lithium-ion battery fireball happened at a hostel in Darlinghurst in inner Sydney on Wednesday morning.
CCTV caught the horror moment the battery exploded at the hostel, causing a fire to rip through the two-storey building and forcing more than 70 backpackers to flee to safety.
The video showed two backpackers at the Mad Monkey Downtown Backpackers leaving their room into a hallway at 9.08am when the fireball suddenly exploded through the doorway.
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said a suspected faulty e-bike lithium-ion battery left on charge had probably sparked the explosion.
Two backpackers (pictured) were caught up in a fireball explosion after a suspected faulty e-bike battery exploded at a Sydney hostel on Wednesday morning
FRNSW deployed 22 firefighters and six fire trucks to Darlinghurst Road to battle the blaze.
A spokesman said the building was ‘well alight’ by the time the fire crews got there.
The two men caught up in the explosion were French nationals and they fled to safety before attending the nearby Kings Cross Police station to ask for help.
Police and paramedics were also called in to assist the fire crews.
One of the men, aged in his 20s, suffered minor burns to his leg and was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital for further treatment.
Emergency personnel evacuated another 70 people from the building, while the surrounding streets were shut down for the response.
FRNSW’s Fire Investigation and Research Unit is working with NSW Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The lithium-ion battery fireball (pictured) happened at a hostel in Darlinghurst in inner Sydney
Firefighters are pictured at the scene of a hostel fire in Sydney on Wednesday morning
The fire is thought to have been caused by a faulty e-bike lithium-ion battery left on charge
Emergency personnel evacuated around 70 people from the building, while the surrounding streets were shut down for the response
The two men caught up in the explosion were French nationals and they fled to safety before attending the nearby Kings Cross Police station to ask for help
The Fire Investigation and Research Unit is working with NSW Police to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Firemen are pictured
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