The West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) recently shared some advice regarding lithium-ion battery fires, and we think it’s worth sharing. Please feel free to check out their original article, but stick around if you want. You may learn a thing or two about the practices, and the products, that can help mitigate these growing risks.
How Common are Lithium-ion Battery Fires?
Lithium-ion batteries themselves are an incredibly abundant item in the modern world. They power a wide range of devices we use on a daily basis, most notably smartphones. They also power electric vehicles, but all devices that use them are liable to the deadly fires they can cause.
According to the International Fire and Safety Journal, UK fire brigades attended 1330 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024. QBE reports that this represents a 93% increase from 2022, with 362 of these fires being linked to E-bikes. Speaking of which, the WMFS mention early on in their article a case of a young couple and their dogs losing their lives to a house fire started by a converted E-bike. As in, they had a normal bike converted into an E-bike, which is not a standardised commercial practice at all.
What Makes Lithium-ion Battery Fires so Deadly?
It’s in the title. They are fast, they are fierce, and above all else, they are fatal. They are made dangerous in large part due to their frequency, however. You should have an idea of this now, but it is difficult to comprehend how commonplace these batteries are. It is likely that there are dozens in your home; any smart device, electric vehicles and cigarettes are fair game.
We use and charge them daily, and I’ll clue you in on some valuable practices in this regard. But for now, it’s worth knowing that the proximity to flammable surfaces and excessive charging can both lead to a potential ignition. These surfaces are common in the household, and charger damage is a comparably frequent occurrence. So, there are plenty of day-to-day devices that use lithium-ion batteries, and plenty of ways they can cause fires.
But back to WMFS’s helpful slogan, the disambiguation of which explains things quite well:
- FAST: they can start suddenly, without warning, and can spread in seconds
- FIERCE: they burn at extreme temperatures, release toxic fumes and explosive vapours, and can quickly fill a home with flames
- FATAL: people have died in these fires, and typically had little chance to escape
This is all painfully true. Lithium-ion battery fires burn between 700 and 1000 degrees Celsius, and rapidly release fumes capable of producing vapour cloud explosions. Their lethality is amplified by their nasty habit of reigniting. This can occur after the initial fire has been extinguished and the battery cooled, up to days later. There’s a host of other factors that contribute to the deadliness, such as the thermal runaway created by these fires. If you want a more in-depth explanation of the dangers, then check out this other article from us.
How to Prevent Lithium-ion Battery Fires
WMFS’s campaign is designed to encourage safe buying, charging and storage. Let’s break that down. Firstly, I’ll hearken back to the E-bike incident from earlier. You must strive to purchase devices and chargers from trusted retailers. This may sound difficult to consistently act upon, but it’s probably harder to find an untrustworthy retailer. The key is to avoid third-party sellers and unbranded E-bike conversion kits, as these may include unregulated batteries or chargers.
Right, there’s plenty more to mention, so let’s press on. So, in terms of spotting a dangerous battery, you need to look out for a number of warning signs. Obvious signs include an unusual level of heat when the device is charging or being used, swelling, bulges, or leaking of liquid, and a burning or acrid smell. More subtle things to consider are any hissing sounds (which may be hard to hear), whether the device is holding a charge properly, or if there is damage to the casing that could have affected the battery.
The last thing is to cover safe charging practices. The first thing to make sure of here is that you are using the charger that came with your device. This, of course, can be rendered impossible, but you should be aiming to use a compatible charger at least. Then consider the location: a hard, flat surface away from anything flammable is pretty much essential here. Also make sure to unplug when fully charged; especially to avoid charging overnight (that’s the official advice, at least).
Perhaps less often thought of is avoiding charging batteries in escape routes. Hallways, doorways, and stairways are the worst places for a fire to start, after all. And lastly, make sure to let batteries cool before charging, and above all, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
How to Tackle Lithium-ion Battery Fires
Beyond these habits you can get into, what to do when a lithium-ion battery fire occurs is still a consideration. And the unfortunate reality is that most fire safety equipment cannot handle them. You need something that is specifically rated for these fires, for which we offer specialised fire extinguishers and fire blankets.
Beyond these requirements, we cannot recommend that you attempt to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. You should only attempt to do so if it is small, and you are very confident that it can be contained on top of that. You should also avoid tackling them indoors. If the device is indoors, and cannot be safely moved outdoors before the fire spreads, then evacuation should your priority.
We’ve talked about electric vehicles, if a fire starts in one of these, then it’s more likely than not that you’ll need to simply pull over as soon as possible, and get away from the vehicle. If the fire is still in it’s early stages, then a lithium-ion battery fire blanket could contain and eventually starve the fire. But getting to a safe distance and calling emergency services is our primary advice here. We have articles that go into greater detail about the methods and products involved in tackling lithium-ion battery fires. You can find one such article here.
The Takeaway
The point is that we heartily agree with WMFS’s messaging and the spirit of their campaign. Lithium-ion battery fires are an already present and constantly growing hazard. To spread awareness of their frequency, their danger, and of how to prevent and tackle them, is something we value highly.
So, I’ll link to their fantastic article one last time, and say a thank you to the West Midlands Fire Service for lending their voice to this important issue. And I want to thank you for reading this article as well, and hope that you feel a little more knowledgeable, and a little more secure regarding lithium-ion battery fires. Till next time!
