Vancouver Fire warns of lithium ion batteries dangers after deadly weekend blaze

Vancouver Fire is warning the public to be careful with lithium ion batteries following a fatal fire at an SRO in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on Saturday.

Investigators believe the fire may have started from an overcharged electric bike battery.

“To see Vancouver’s experience, it’s the seventh fire fatality of the year this past weekend, and five of the seven deaths so far have been caused by lithium ion batteries,” said Matthew Trudeau with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services.

Lithium Ion battery fires are the number 1 cause of fire deaths in the City of Vancouver for 2022. 5 people have died this year already. Never overcharge, modify, or leave unattended while charging. Always use manufacturer approved replacement devices.

— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) June 13, 2022

He calls it a very concerning trend, not only seen in the city of Vancouver, but also across North America.

“We’re seeing a significant rise in fires because of this type of battery.”

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While these batteries are in just about everything electronic that doesn’t need to be plugged into a wall, he points out they aren’t inherently dangerous. However, the batteries should never be tampered with.

If you do have these batteries in your home, he recommends keeping a fire extinguisher handy and making sure you have a working smoke alarm.

With files from Denise Wong