Insurer Issues Fire Safety Warning on Lithium Batteries During Christmas

Charred remains of e-bikes and scooters sit outside of a building in Chinatown after four people were killed by a fire in an e-bike repair shop overnight in New York City on June 20, 2023. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Insurance group Suncorp has issued a warning on lithium-ion battery products including e-scooters and e-bikes ahead of Christmas.

The alarm bells were sounded amid a rise in house fires in Australia involving lithium-ion batteries.

Fire and Rescue New South Wales (NSW) has recorded 185 lithium battery-related fires in the year to date up to Dec. 8. This compares to 165 fires in all of 2022.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services reported 61 fires involving lithium batteries this financial year, on top of 127 in the previous financial year up to June 30.

In Victoria, agencies respond to at least one major lithium-ion battery fire each week, Suncorp noted in a release.

Lithium-ion battery powered e-scooters and e-bikes were especially singled out as a concern by the ASX-listed insurance company.

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Alli Smith, Suncorp’s executive general manager for home claims, noted the surge in housefires connected to e-scooters and e-bikes.

“Most modern devices like laptops, mobile phones, power tools, e-cigarettes, and electric vehicles have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries containing highly flammable electrolytes, but a surge in popularity of items like e-scooters and e-bikes and a link to housefires in recent years is concerning,” she said.

Ms. Smith noted these batters could be prone to intense fires that are hard to extinguish if they are not used, charged, stored or disposed correctly, placing the home at risk.

“What’s particularly concerning is that they can often explode or emit an intense self-sustaining fire that is not easily extinguishable by water or traditional fire extinguishers making the dangers and damage from this type of fire worse,” she said.

“These batteries, if used, charged, stored or disposed of incorrectly, could be prone to intense, difficult-to-extinguish fires when damaged or overheated and pose a significant risk in the home.

“And while the batteries might not have always been the cause of the fire, the fire can be so much worse if there are more flammable items in homes like lithium-ion batteries.”

Ms. Smith said fires caused or made worse by lithium-ion batteries can be “life threatening,” so the the dangers are “very real.”

The insurance company also shed light on some claims data in recent years. For example, 160 claims in 2023 were for major fires with more than $400,000 (US$270,000) worth of damage. This compares to 82 in 2014.

In the last decade, there has been a trend towards more severe house fire claims, due to items like batteries, electrical faults, and appliances.

“What our data is showing us is that small fire claims like those generally caused by cooking are decreasing, which makes sense with environmental trends like the rise of food delivery services and the increased use of items like air fryers which don’t use a lot of oil,” Ms. Smith said.

Fire and Rescue NSW Warns of Risk

Fire and Rescue NSW commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell also weighed in on the lithium battery risk, warning about explosions and toxic gas.

Lithium-ion batteries are listed as the “fastest growing fire risk” in the state, according to the agency’s website.

He suggested people buy from reputable companies if they are looking for Christmas gifts that need lithium batteries.

“If a battery is compromised through damage or overheating, it can go into what we call ‘Thermal Runaway.’ It will pop and crackle, then give off toxic gas before exploding in intense flames that are extremely difficult to extinguish,” Mr. Fewtell said.

“If you’re buying presents that require lithium-ion batteries this Christmas, make sure those batteries are manufactured by a trusted company.”

In October, a lithium-ion battery said to be related to an e-bike exploded at a backpacker hostel in Sydney. Two men had to make a dramatic escape from the flames in their hostel room and 70 people were evacuated.

An image showing fire after a lithium battery was said to explode at a Sydney hostel. (Courtesy of Fire and Rescue NSW)

Fire and Rescue NSW said the fire was suspected to have been sparked by a “faulty e-bike battery left on charge.”

A man had to be taken to the local hospital, St Vincent’s, with minor burns to his leg.

Firefighters In Victoria also concerned

Firefighters in Victoria have also recently put out a warning about lithium-ion batteries in Christmas gifts.

This follows a large number of fires involving lithium batteries in recent months. Five children, aged under 13, were lucky to escape when a lithium-ion battery exploded in a garage on Sept. 22.

The fire was said to have started from a lithium-ion battery from a power tool stored in the garage.

Fire Rescue Victoria Acting Deputy Commissioner Gavin Rooney said lithium-ion batteries can be found in everything from e-bikes and e-scooters to toys, power tools, and phones.

Dott and Tier e-scooters in London, England, on Nov. 20, 2022. (Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

“While these products make our lives easier and have many positive environmental and social impacts, they occasionally can and do catch alight, especially if overcharged or not treated properly,” he said.