Fire service sees increase in lithium battery fires

Dan Wallace was injured when his son's hoverboard caught fire in Watton

A fire service said it had seen a "steady increase" in the number of fires related to lithium-ion batteries.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) said it dealt with six such fires in 2022, compared with one between 2018 and 2021.

It said that although the number of fires in Norfolk caused by lithium-ion batteries remained "very low", blazes could become large "very quickly".

Ahead of Christmas, the fire service urged people to only buy electrical goods from reputable retailers.

NFRS said in one incident, a hoverboard which contained a lithium-ion battery caught fire in Watton.

Norfolk Trading Standards said the blaze was caused by a replacement charger that had been bought online.

The hoverboard was completely destroyed in the blaze

Mum, Lucy Wallace, was watching TV with her partner Dan at the time, while their eight-year-old son, Dylan, slept upstairs.

After she opened the hallway door she found a "massive amount of flames".

"I grabbed Dylan from his bed and held his head outside the window so he could get a deep breath, then I carried him back downstairs and out into the back garden," she said.

"I am really careful about charging things and having things plugged in, I would never charge anything overnight and I switch things off at the wall when we go out."

She added: "I know that if this had happened when we were asleep it would have been a very different story."

Mr Wallace attempted to get the hoverboard outside, and sustained burns to his feet.

NRFS were called and crews extinguished the blaze.

The fire caused damage to a carpet and wall

In recent years, lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly common in household electricals, tools, e-bikes and e-scooters.

In the UK, fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in e-scooters and e-bikes have quadrupled since 2020, killing eight people and injuring 190.

The government said it was undertaking a "programme of activities", including more research and guidance on safety and standards.

NRFS has released tips for consumers.

• Keep e-bikes, e-scooters and hoverboards outside your house, if possible.

• If that is not possible, store them and charge them in a room with a door that can be closed.

• Never charge them anywhere that could block your escape route, like in a hallway or near a front or back door.

• Always charge when you are awake and around.

• In the case of any fire: Get out, stay out and call 999.