World Slowly Waking Up to Menace of Lithium Battery Fires, Experts Say

A senior technical consultant at a fire extinguisher manufacturer said, ‘Regulatory action still lags behind the pace of incidents.’
World Slowly Waking Up to Menace of Lithium Battery Fires, Experts Say
Firefighters try to put out a fire likely caused by a lithium battery pack—on an Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on Jan. 28, 2025. Yonhap via Reuters
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Lithium-ion battery fires are a growing cause for concern around the world, with fears about how electric vehicles, e-bikes, laptop chargers, and power banks pose a risk to people at home, at work, and on the move.

Fires involving lithium batteries—which are rechargeable—are notoriously difficult to extinguish using conventional firefighting methods.

Chris Summers
Chris Summers
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Chris Summers is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of national stories, with a particular interest in crime, policing and the law.