A hero neighbour has saved a Darra family’s home after an e-scooter exploded while charging early yesterday morning.

One man is in hospital with serious burns and the rest of the family can’t return home because soot blankets its contents.

9News reporter Nick Kelly said the father sustained the serious burns when he dragged the scooter from the living room to the front yard.

“Unfortunately, he stumbled over in the process and has fallen on the scooter,” he said. “He’s due to go into surgery today to get some skin grafts.”

Edwin Ronquillo, one of the family’s neighbours, came to their aid with a fire extinguisher after being woken by the explosion.

“He’s done his best to put it out and put out the furniture in the living room, which also caught fire in the explosion.”

The scooter reignited several times before fire crews arrived and submerged it in a bin filled with water.

Press PLAY below to hear what caused the scooter to catch fire 

QFES executive manager Mark Halverson told Bill McDonald water tends to be the only way to extinguish lithium battery fires.

“You’ve got an excessive amount of heat, so clearly, water is the best option from a cooling perspective,” he said.

“The problem is that because of that rapid transfer of heat among the cells, extinguishment of a small fire is highly likely to result in reignition.”

Press PLAY below to hear what to do if a battery is showing signs of overheating  

Image: 9News