Ottawa Fire Services (OFS) is advising residents against overcharging lithium-ion batteries following a recent incident that led to the destruction of two homes in Richmond. Emergency crews were dispatched to Pelham Crescent after a house was reported to be engulfed in flames around 2 p.m. on Feb. 17. According to OFS spokesperson Nick DeFazio, the homeowner heard a popping noise from the garage before discovering smoke and flames upon opening the garage door.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by approximately 3:20 p.m., but not before it spread to a neighboring property, displacing its occupants. OFS determined that the fire originated from a lithium-ion drill battery that was being charged on top of a fridge in the garage. This incident marked the second fire in Ottawa this year caused by such batteries, the first being in January when a dog chewed through a heated ski glove powered by a similar battery.
In response to these events, OFS issued a safety advisory due to the increasing concern over battery-related fires. Leanne Labbee, an OFS fire prevention officer, highlighted that there have been around 60 incidents involving lithium-ion batteries in Ottawa since 2022. Labbee emphasized the prevalence of these batteries in households today, powering a wide range of devices from laptops to electric toothbrushes.
Despite their ubiquitous presence, lithium-ion batteries demand careful handling due to their volatile nature. OFS stressed the importance of unplugging batteries once fully charged to prevent overcharging, which can lead to explosions. Signs that a battery may be at risk include hissing, swelling, or emitting unusual odors. The fire marshal of Ontario also cautioned against charging batteries below freezing temperatures, as this can cause damage.
Labbee noted that lithium-ion battery fires produce significantly more carbon monoxide compared to fires fueled by gasoline, making them harder to extinguish with water. She likened the process of extinguishing such fires to blowing out a trick birthday candle that reignites when extinguished. Unlike traditional alkaline batteries, the higher voltage of lithium-ion batteries enhances their effectiveness but also makes them more prone to explosion risks.
Yaser Abu-Lebdeh, heading the battery materials innovation team at National Research Council Canada, explained that lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to overheating when mishandled or overcharged, leading to the release of toxic gases and potential fires. Abu-Lebdeh underscored the challenge in controlling the thermal runaway effect in these batteries, which can escalate quickly and result in explosions. While safer versions of lithium-ion batteries are not yet available, efforts are underway to develop alternatives with less flammable components nearing commercialization.