Mary Lou Stults had finished preparing dinner and was helping her husband, Wayne, to the kitchen when he removed a pair of lithium-ion batteries from a charger.
The batteries, replacements purchased on Amazon for Wayne’s drone, had just completed their first charge since arriving a day earlier when flames started pouring out. Mary Lou first tried to smother them with a blanket then douse them with an extinguisher, but fire and black smoke began to build.
After helping Wayne, who is disabled, out of the house and into the car, Mary Lou looked back toward her home, now spewing smoke, to watch a fiery blast blow the windows from their frames. “The whole first floor was gone,” Mary Lou said. “And it happened in a matter of minutes.”
The blaze that claimed the Stultses’ Fremont, Ohio, home on February 5, 2023, is part of a surge of incidents sparked by lithium-ion batteries in recent years. A common power source for many portable electronic devices, these batteries have gained a reputation perhaps as much for their volatility as their practicality.
A Unique Problem
Advancements in lithium battery technologies have helped manufacturers put more juice in increasingly smaller packages. In fact, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries boast the highest energy density of any battery technology, delivering a voltage of up to three times that of other types. They’re used to power everything from smartphones and laptops to lawn mowers and e-bikes.
But generating all that electricity can result in one major drawback for these batteries: they can quickly overheat, emit toxic gases and result in dangerous explosions.
“Despite their many advantages, lithium-ion batteries have the potential to overheat, catch fire and cause explosions,” said Steve Kerber, PhD, executive director of UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute.
When a battery is in use or charging, lithium ions pass between the anode and cathode—the negatively and positively charged parts of the battery—to generate a flow of electrons. All this energy can cause the cells inside the battery to heat up. Should faults occur in the cell, either due to internal failure or external conditions, they can enter into an uncontrollable state called thermal runaway.
It’s this phenomenon that makes a failure of a lithium-ion battery so dangerous, allowing fires to occur with little warning, according to Skip Donnell, a risk control professional at ERIE.
“A fire can form from ambient room temperatures to 1,300 degrees in just 60 seconds,” he said. “The fires themselves pose a unique problem because they can reignite, and there really isn’t any fire extinguisher designed to control them.”
Though rare, fires from lithium-ion batteries have increased in numbers in recent years as the device’s popularity has grown.
A database of global lithium-ion battery incidents kept by UL Solutions, the global safety, inspection and certification organization, recorded 2,262 fires in 2023, an increase of 303% since it began tracking them in 2018. Battery fires also caused 773 injuries and 132 deaths, according to the database, which combs news articles for mention of incidents from around the world.
Among the biggest problems fueling the rash of fires is a seemingly endless supply of batteries that haven’t been safety tested and certified by an accredited testing laboratory, like UL.
Inexpensive replacement batteries from suspect online sources can often pose the greatest risk because of compatibility issues with the original device and a lack of quality components. And, for hobbyists looking for a quick fix, the convenience of buying a reconditioned or unapproved battery from less-than-reputable sellers can make for a risky choice, Donnell said.
“When you have lower-quality products flooding the market, and people who aren’t qualified handling these devices, we see a lot more opportunities for these kinds of events,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot of people who aren’t certified set up repair shops in their apartments as their side hustle.
“It’s really like the Wild West out there.”
The Consumers’ Charge
Although they can carry a certain level of risk, lithium-ion batteries can provide a generally safe and reliable source of power for a wide array of devices when used and maintained properly.
“If you understand the hazards and are proactive in your approach, you can be safe,” Kerber said.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are several precautions you can take to help minimize your risks:
-
Follow instructions. Always follow the device manufacturer’s instructions for storage, use, charging and maintenance.
-
Avoid knockoffs. Only replace batteries and chargers with components specifically designed and approved for your device.
-
Watch where you charge. Avoid charging your device on flammable surfaces like under a pillow, on your bed or on the couch.
-
Unplug your device. Remove devices and batteries from the charger once they are fully charged.
-
Store batteries properly. Lithium-ion batteries should always be stored in a cool, dry place. Don’t place batteries in direct sunlight.
-
Inspect for damage. Regularly inspect your device and batteries.
Whether due to malfunction, defects or improper storage, warning signs of failing lithium-ion batteries can include smoke, hissing noises, swelling or a strong, unusual odor. Should batteries display any of these signs, they should be turned off, unplugged and moved away from flammable items using tongs or gloves. At any sign of flames, you should call your fire department immediately.
For additional safety information, including prevention education and potential product recalls, consumers can consult the Consumer Product Safety Commission at CPSC.gov.
Powering the Future
Demand for lithium-ion batteries will likely continue to increase, experts say. A 2021 report in Nature projected the market to grow to $100 billion by next year.
Kerber said he views the devices—and their consequences—as a fact of modern-day life.
“More batteries will lead to more fire incidents,” he said. “There is still much to be learned about how the lithium-ion batteries age and how they get reused over their life cycle, which could introduce additional safety hazards.”
Still, with their unique power, versatility and growing count of practical applications, lithium-ion batteries will become more common.
Even Kerber, whose cell phone, laptop, power tools and other devices use lithium-ion batteries, is a consumer of the technology.
As is Mary Lou Stults, who in December, moved back into her home, which was rebuilt thanks to ERIE’s Guaranteed Replacement Cost coverage. Only now, she uses extra caution with the lithium-ion batteries that fuel her vacuum and power tools.
“I now store them separate in a detached garage,” she said.
Whether your home includes devices powered by lithium-ion batteries or you’re a bit more old-school, it deserves the coverage of an ERIE homeowners policy. Contact your Agent for a quote or a coverage review today.
