Lithium-ion battery fires are on the rise so it is more important than ever that you only buy and use safe electronic products, and that you are know how to charge and dispose of them safely.

Lithium-Ion batteries are rechargeable batteries are found in electric bikes, scooters, cars, laptops, tablets, mobile phones and other common household devices.

These batteries are now firmly part of daily life, both at home and in the workplace. Lithium-Ion batteries have many advantages, but their safety depends on how they are manufactured, used, charged, stored and recycled.

Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries have increased dramatically in the UK, sometimes with deadly consequences. National figures show that 190 people have been injured in fires related to Lithium-ION battery fires in the UK since 2020, and 10 have proved fatal.

Molly’s Story

It was a quiet Sunday evening when Molly and her two-year-old daughter were settling into their New Milton flat, unaware their lives were about to change forever. A battery-powered toy car ignited while charging, filling their home with smoke and flames.

The fire alarm gave Molly just enough time to grab her daughter and escape, but the blaze claimed the lives of their cherished cats and left their home in ruins. Now, Molly shares her story to raise awareness about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and the devastation they can cause.

 

Advice

Purchase safe products

  • Research the product before purchasing, ensuring you are buying from a reliable and reputable brand
  • Check that the battery and charger meet UK safety standards

Use and charge sensibly

  • Charge your product, particularly if it is an e-scooter, in an area which doesn’t block your exit
  • Keep an eye out for product recalls or warning signs that the product may be damaged or the battery might be failing and becoming a fire risk
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Dispose safely

  • We have seen a sharp rise in the number of incidents in bin lorries and at waste/recycling centres likely to be caused by carelessly discarded batteries.
  • You can find advice on how and where to dispose of batteries on your local council’s website, or you can search Recycle Your Electricals online and enter your postcode to find your nearest dedicated battery and electrical recycling points.

Lithium-ion battery Incidents

Fire triggers warning about lithium-ion battery safety
Firefighters worked through the night to tackle the fire in Gosport that started in a domestic three storey property and spread through the roof to neighbouring properties. The initial reports and the preliminary fire investigation has found that an e-scooter is the most likely cause of the fire.

The main danger occurs when e-bikes and e-scooters are left on charge and unattended in homes or in communal areas such as hallways and stairwells. Charging lithium batteries indoors increases the fire risk, especially if charged overnight when occupants are sleeping.

Station Manager Lacey Plumbley who attended the Gosport fire said: “E-bikes and e-scooters with lithium-ion batteries can catch fire quickly and with little warning. Thankfully everyone managed to evacuate the properties safely, but a number of families have seen their homes severely damaged as a result of this fire.

“We are urging people to keep an eye on their e-scooter and e-bikes when they are charging them and to think carefully about where they store them. Ideally they should be stored outside, but if they have to be stored inside avoid blocking emergency escape routes.”

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Battery blazes spark multiple call outs for Hampshire crews

Two separate blazes were sparked this morning from batteries incorrectly disposed of in household waste.

On-call firefighters from Beaulieu and Hardley were alerted to a fire within a bin lorry on the High Street in Beaulieu shortly before 8am.

The refuse was removed from the vehicle, allowing the crews to extinguish the fire which had sparked from the battery of an electrical device.

Refuse vehicle fire 3 04.01.2024
Photo from New Forest District Council

After dampening down the contents firefighters used thermal imaging cameras to check the remainder of the rubbish to ensure the fire hadn’t spread.

Across the county in Portsmouth, less than an hour later, Cosham crews were called to a waste depot after a lithium-ion battery caught alight, with the resulting fire spreading across a five-tonne pile of household recycling.

The bin crew quickly returned to the depot where they emptied the pile out onto the yard, before firefighters were able to remove the battery, which was in thermal runaway, and submerge it in water.

Battery pack explosion sparks house fire in Bordon
Hampshire firefighters tackled a blaze in Bordon following an explosion caused by an electric scooter’s battery pack.

On-call crews from Bordon and Liphook were alerted shortly after 7pm to the fire at a property on Warren Close.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus extinguished the blaze using hose reel jets before ventilating the property.

The occupiers were assisted from the property, with one casualty assessed by ambulance paramedics.

Crews conducted community fire safety visits before returning to station at 20:18.

Flat fire sparks electric scooter battery safety warning

Firefighters tackled a fire involving an electric scooter’s battery pack which had exploded whilst on charge in a Portsmouth flat on Monday afternoon.

Crews from Cosham and Southsea arrived to find smoke issuing from the building on Hewlett Road before firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels and jets to stop the blaze which had caused significant damage to the living room.

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Craig Sadler, Watch Manager at Cosham Fire Station, said:

“We were called out to a flat fire in Portsmouth involving the battery of an electric scooter.”

“We extinguished with the fire which had caused significant damage to the living room.”

“This incident is a reminder of the importance of buying all electrical goods from reputable sellers and to use the correct charger you brought with each item.”

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Fire Investigation Officers have confirmed the fire started after an electric scooter’s  lithium battery overheated whilst charging, causing it to explode.

Crews delivered safety messaging and advice to neighbouring residents before leaving the scene shortly after 4pm.

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