An increase in e-bikes and e-scooters has prompted the need for more awareness of lithium-ion batteries.
One person suffered burns and smoke inhalation after an e-bike fire in a Moncton home in November.
Moncton Fire Chief Conrad Landry said they’ve had around three or four fires involving lithium-ion batteries so far this year.
“If you can recharge something, it’s probably lithium-ion. So if it’s from a remote control car to an e-bike, anything that you can recharge, your cell phone, iPads or laptops,” Landry adds.
“A battery stores energy and it wants to get rid of it that energy, so if we have it in our homes and it’s plugged in, in a malfunction, it disperses that energy. So sometimes it’s as simple as we put our phones on a bed, and the blankets are over it, and the heat of that phone doesn’t have a chance to dissipate. In e-bikes, the batteries are much bigger than an iPhone or a rechargeable phone,” Landry stressed.
“So if it’s close to cardboard, or if it’s close to something combustible, something that burns, it can start a fire. So we strongly recommend that people store their e-bikes outside, or in an outside shed. If it’s inside, at least remove the battery as soon as it’s fully charged. Don’t let it charge all day; remove it from the charger. Remove it from the bike, and that could reduce the chance of a fire.”
He says they’re encouraging the use of things like e-bikes because they’re a form of active transportation, but steps need to be taken when storing them. He adds it’s important to be cautious.
Other tips include disposing of your lithium-ion batteries properly by taking them to a designated battery recycling centre or hazardous waste facility.
Stop using your device if the battery smells strange, feels hot, swells or bulges, or makes popping or hissing sounds.
