2025-10-11 09:00
publication
2025-10-11 09:00
The growing popularity of electric devices and vehicles means that fire hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries are increasingly being discussed. Experts warn that the risk of fires involving them is increasing and users should follow basic safety rules. A risk factor may be, for example, charging contrary to the manufacturer's recommendations or modifying the battery yourself.
– We must take into account the threat resulting from the increasing use of lithium-ion batteries. They tend to catch fire, especially if damaged. Depending on the size of the battery pack, the threat is of course different, and we can also use different security measures in such a case. However, this risk, unfortunately, exists and will probably increase, says Prof. in an interview with the Newseria agency. Ph.D. engineer Dorota Brzezińska from the Lodz University of Technology.
According to data from UL Solutions, which examines the situation on 12 markets, including: in the USA, Canada, China, India, Germany and Great Britain, approximately 16 thousand were reported. incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, most often fire. Last year, the number of such events was over 3.8 thousand, while in 2023 it was 2.5 thousand and in 2020 – 734 incidents. Most often, this involved consumer devices and micromobility e-vehicles.
The phenomenon of “thermal runaway”, i.e. an uncontrolled increase in temperature leading to spontaneous combustion, makes such fires extremely difficult to control. According to the official report of the British Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in 2024 in Great Britain 211 fires involving scooters and e-bikes – 93 percent these events were caused by a battery or generator catching fire. In 39 percent this happened while charging.
Similar threats also appear in Poland, although there are no official statistics covering the entire market. In recent years, the media and the Fire Department have reported on a series of dangerous incidents. The fires occurred, among others: in buildings in Elbląg, Poznań and Gdynia, where scooters charging in basements and on balconies caught fire. In Bydgoszcz, an electric scooter caught fire in a service center full of such devices, but the fire was extinguished before it spread. There were also fires on a larger scale, although it is not known what caused them – including: in Krakow, a hall with about a thousand scooters and batteries burned down, and in Katowice, a warehouse of electric scooters was also on fire.
– Fires on scooters and various smaller devices equipped with batteries are usually relatively small-scale events. It is difficult to talk about regulatory requirements in this area, but rather each user should use appropriate measures to prevent the possible effects of such an event, which, unfortunately, may always occur. For example, it is very important not to charge the scooter at night in the bedroom, where such a fire event may surprise us in conditions in which we will not be able to evacuate. In general, keeping and charging scooters in the apartment is not recommended – says prof. Dorota Brzezińska.
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warns that Improper charging of devices at home is one of the most common sources of threats and that in such situations, users often do not have time to evacuate, and the toxic gases released during a fire can be fatal.
– The remedies that we can use ourselves are primarily the manufacturer's recommendations. We should always charge batteries in the conditions recommended by the manufacturer, do not overcharge them, do not expose them to heating, for example by sunlight, and do not use damaged batteries because they may actually cause fire. It is also very important to use batteries from manufacturers, not substitutes – says an expert from the Lodz University of Technology.
Any attempt to modify battery systems on your own is particularly dangerous. Increasing power, interfering with the control electronics or replacing individual cells may lead to overheating and ignition.
– Batteries modified, especially by yourself or even in some plants that deal with it, where, for example, the battery power has been increased by reprogramming the control system, can be very dangerous. We are then dealing with interference in the system controlling the battery module, which has been set by the manufacturer in an optimal and safe manner. If we interfere with these settings ourselves, we can cause the cell to overheat and catch fire, which can be very dangerous – emphasizes Prof. Dorota Brzezińska.
Market regulators also notice this problem. In December 2024, the UK OPSS published guidelines on thermal runaway protection, commissioned research to better understand the risks, and initiated action to recall unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters. The organization's report indicated that many fires involved cheap, uncertified devices and chargers purchased by consumers online.
