Achi news desk-
Batteries power many things in our lives, from phones to laptops to even cars, but there is danger lurking in our reliance on batteries.
As electronics become an increasingly pervasive part of our lives, so do lithium ion battery fires. That’s according to the Canadian Association of Chief Fire Officers.
“The amount of heat that is generated is so fast that it becomes, essentially, explosive,” said Robert Hebb, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency district chief and Hazardous Materials Response team manager. “At that time, anything nearby will be consumed by the fire.”
Toronto and Vancouver have seen big jumps in battery fires compared to other types, but it’s not just a problem in big cities.
“Unfortunately because things have happened so quickly and lithium batteries have really experienced such rapid growth,” Hebb said. “One phrase that one of the firefighters uses is, ‘We’re literally building the plane as we fly it,’ so we fight these fires and we learn from go.”
Halifax Fire is learning from the experiences of those larger centers to train for these new types of fires.
Most people don’t realize the danger a damaged or faulty battery poses.
“Don’t charge your phones in bed, that sort of thing. We’ve seen incidents of that happen,” said Charlottetown Deputy Chief Kent Mitchell. “Excessive heat can cause a problem. We’ve seen an incident where a mobile phone has caught fire in a parked car during the summer, on the dash.”
You should also unplug your electronics after they’ve been charged and don’t leave them plugged in overnight. He said it is important to always use compatible batteries and cables for electronic devices.
Electric cars have also changed the way firefighters approach vehicle fires, which can take hours and 50,000 gallons of water to put out.
“We’ve learned that it’s faster to let the vehicle burn out,” Hebb said. “It can take 45 minutes to an hour for it to burn completely, so we use our water to protect the exposures and let the vehicle finish burning.”
E-bikes and scooters are one of the main drivers of the growth in battery fires. He said people should never charge them inside a home, especially in hallways where they can be a source of fire and prevent escape from the building.
