By Parker McKenzie
Local residents should be aware of the risks of lithium-ion battery-powered batteries as safety incidents rose according to the RACV and with local CFAs like Yellingbo CFA taking note of a structure fire in The Basin caused by an overheated battery in early February.
RACV Head of Home and Business insurance Kirsty Hayes said there has been an increase in incidents involving lithium batteries.
“Between July 2021 and July 2022, Fire Rescue Victoria responded to at least 120 lithium-ion battery incidents,” she said.
“If you have purchased a toy, e-bike or e-scooter over Christmas that contains a lithium-ion battery, it is important to be aware of the risk that they can pose.”
On Wednesday 1 February, The Basin Fire Brigade responded to a structure fire caused by an electric scooter’s lithium battery overheating while it was being charged, causing it to overheat and explode. The brigade was supported by Fire Rescue Victoria personnel.
According to a research paper published in Nature Communications, titled In-operando high-speed tomography of lithium-ion batteries during thermal runaway, the probability of failure of lithium batteries is relatively low, however, batteries can and do fail with catastrophic results.
“The thermal response of a cell is one of the most important characteristics to understand when assessing the safety of a cell design,” the study found.
“Undesirable increases in temperature can occur within the cell as a result of electrical or mechanical abuse, or due to the presence of an external heat source, for example, failure of a neighbouring cell.”
Ms Hayes said it is important to only buy e-bikes and e-scooters from reputable brands.
“Store them outside, unplug them once they are charged, take care to avoid damaging them, and not leave them in hot environments,” she said.
“The same advice applies to toys, they should also be kept in a cool place.”
