The Maroondah Exchange | Home fire safety
Charge lithium-ion battery devices away from doors and escape routes, avoid charging while you are asleep, and stop using a device that shows signs of damage or overheating. Those are among the steps Fire Rescue Victoria is asking households to take.
Phones, earbuds, laptops, power banks and tools can all use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. So can e-bikes and e-scooters. The useful check is to look at where these things charge in your home, and what is around them.
In The Maroondah Exchange’s recent Heathmont house-fire report, the suspected cause was Bluetooth earbuds left on charge. FRV has now supplied more detailed advice to help local households reduce lithium-ion battery fire risk.
Why the charger and the lithium-ion battery matter
FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety and Operational Training Joshua Fischer says several faults and conditions can lead to a lithium-ion battery catching fire.
“These lithium-ion batteries present a greater fire risk when they are overcharged, charged using incompatible or faulty chargers, exposed to excessive heat, physically damaged, or affected by manufacturing defects or other faults that cause them to malfunction,” he said.
A plug fitting into a socket is not enough to establish that the charger is right for the lithium-ion battery. FRV advises following the manufacturer’s instructions, using the charger and cord supplied with the device, and using lithium-ion batteries designed for that device. Check for the Regulatory Compliance Mark on charging equipment.
Choose a charging spot you can leave safely
Keep doors and escape routes clear. This matters for an e-bike in a hallway as well as a smaller device near an exit.
Use a surface that will not burn. Avoid beds, couches and carpets.
Charge in a room with a smoke alarm. Make checking that alarm part of the household routine.
Stay awake and nearby. FRV advises against leaving charging devices unattended or charging while people are asleep.
Unplug when charging is complete. Follow the manufacturer’s charging and operating instructions.
A resident testing a smoke alarm. Image supplied by Fire Rescue Victoria.
For a household with several devices, it is worth checking each charging spot. A suitable place for one item does not make a bed or a doorway a suitable place for the next one.
Take warning signs seriously
Do not use a lithium-ion battery or device that is swollen or bulging, leaking, overheating or mechanically damaged. FRV also advises stopping use if you notice unusual sounds.
If a lithium-ion battery device catches fire, leave the area and call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Do not try to put the fire out yourself. FRV warns that lithium-ion batteries involved in fire can release toxic gases and generate multiple explosions. Firefighters need to attend to make the area safe, even if flames or smoke are no longer visible.
Keep lithium-ion batteries out of household bins
FRV says never to put lithium-ion batteries in regular waste or recycling collection bins. Lithium-ion battery fires can start in household bins, collection trucks and waste facilities. Use the disposal guidance linked from FRV’s lithium-ion battery safety resources rather than treating an unwanted lithium-ion battery as ordinary rubbish.
Start with one practical check: look at the device charging nearest your bed or an exit. Check its condition, its charger and its position, then work through the other devices at home.
This article follows The Maroondah Exchange’s report on the smoke alarm that helped a Heathmont family escape a house fire. Fire Rescue Victoria supplied the advice and quotations for this home fire safety series.
Thanks for reading,
The Maroondah Exchange