Education needed to combat battery-related fires – AMI

A 17% rise in lithium-ion battery related fires last year was mainly caused by mishandling during charging, storage, and disposal.

 More than 50% of all battery-related fire claims pertain to when devices are not in-use or being actively monitored, for example, when being charged, stored or disposed of, says AMI claims executive general manager Wayne Tippet.

“Consumer safety and battery handling education to ensure the safety of New Zealanders is vital,” he says.

Last year, more than 20% of AMI’s lithium-ion battery related fire claims happened when the battery or device was charging.

“We’ve received claims for drones, e-bikes, cars and even campervans which have caught fire while being left on charge for long periods of time, unsupervised,” says Tippet.

Claims spanned various policy types, including motor (27%), contents (25%), home (23%), commercial (23%), followed by marine/boat (2%).

AMI’s data follows recent reports from councils about a surge in lithium-ion battery-related fires, which have started inside the containers of waste collection trucks.

“Please don’t throw batteries and battery-powered devices in your household waste,” says Tippet.

“There are a number of collection facilities around the country for used batteries, including at most Mitre 10 and Bunnings Warehouse stores, and e-waste services or recycling services for electronics.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) community education manager Tom Ronaldson says while there is nothing inherently dangerous about lithium-ion batteries, they can be a fire hazard if they are damaged, mishandled, or improperly disposed of.

“When lithium-ion battery fires do occur, they can happen very quickly,” he says.

“Therefore, it is important that if your battery is emitting vapour or unusual sounds, you evacuate immediately and call 111.

 “To protect your battery, always use the correct charger for the device. If your battery is damaged, or hot to touch while charging, replace it immediately with one from the manufacturer,” says Ronaldson.

“Always avoid charging devices on soft surfaces or leaving them plugged in for extended periods.”

Avoid exposing lithium-ion batteries to extreme temperatures, and do not puncture, crush, or otherwise damage the battery casing, Ronaldson says.

Safety tips for EV, e-bike and e-scooter charging include storing and charging outside of the house in a garage, shed or carport, away from living spaces.

Keep them away from any exit doors, escape routes and combustible materials, says AMI.

Only use EV charging adaptors supplied by the vehicle manufacturer or by an EV supply equipment (EVSE) manufacturer.

Don’t use any household adaptor (such as a multi-box, double plug or a travel plug) between EVSE such as an in-cord control and protection device (IC-CPD) and a socket outlet, AMI says.

“Never use damaged or modified charging equipment, such as overseas equipment that has been fitted with a New Zealand plug.

“Don’t use any faulty charging equipment, get it checked by the manufacturer.”