Toronto Fire Services says there’s been more lithium-ion battery fires this year than ever before.
The service has dealt with 97 lithium-ion battery incidents so far this year, Capt. Deepak Chagger told Global News in an email. By the end of last year, 91 lithium-ion fires were logged.
Fire Chief Jim Jessop has issued several warnings throughout the year regarding lithium-ion fires.
Last month, he sounded off on social media after crews responded to three separate fires involving the increasingly problematic batteries, including one that escalated to a two-alarm response level.
Around 6 a.m. on Aug. 12, crews were called to the George and Dundas streets for reports of an e-bike battery fire.
According to reports from the scene, the fire occurred in a fourth-floor unit of an apartment building. One of several e-bike batteries in the space caught fire. A tenant then reportedly threw it in the bathtub.
Four people were cared for by Toronto paramedics at the scene. One was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“All this does is confirm what the city of Toronto and Toronto Fire Service has been saying,” Jessop said. “This is the greatest evolving fire safety risk in Canada’s largest city.”
Jessop has been calling on all levels of government to “explore regulatory changes that reduce both the probability and the consequences of these fires.”
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The batteries, which are also used to power items like smartphones and electric toothbrushes, were behind two fires at the Ashwarren Road recycling facility on May 21.
The batteries were in thermal runaway, which is one of the primary risks related to them, according to the UL Research Institutes. When that happens, the lithium-ion cell enters into an uncontrollable, self-heating state and can combust.
No one was injured during the three-alarm blaze, Toronto fire said at the time.
Division Chief Marla Friebe previously told Global News micromobility devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters and e-hoverboards are involved in the bulk of the lithium-ion battery fires crews are seeing.
But she added that a cause of this is due to users of these devices not buying compatible parts, using chargers that are not necessarily recommended by the manufacturers, or overcharging the devices.
Another factor coming into play with micromobility devices, Friebe said, is that some people are tampering with the batteries to either lengthen the power charge, boost the power, or increase the speed of the device.
Toronto Fire Service stresses the batteries are generally safe but can become dangerous if they are damaged, tampered with or improperly charged.
Things to look out for include an unusual, almost plastic odour, smoke coming from the device and the item beginning to heat up to an “extreme” degree.
Given the dangers surrounding the device, people should ensure that when they dispose of the items, they do so properly by taking them to an approved disposal site and not tossing them in the garbage.
While the service is cautioning about the dangers, Friebe reiterated most devices with these batteries can be safe and it’s about taking proper precautions.
This means buying a device with a certified battery that’s been tested for use in Canada and always using approved charging devices, even if it is an extra cost. As well, she said to be sure to charge in an appropriate environment with a stable temperature, as they can be susceptible to hot and cold temperatures.
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