THE DANGER OF EV'S
Lithium ion batteries the leading cause of Vancouver fire fatalities, firefighters warnVancouver firefighters have issued another stark warning about lithium ion batteries, in the wake of a fatal fire at a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel on the city's Downtown Eastside.
© Global News One person has died after a fire ignited in Vancouver's Empress Hotel, officials say.
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services says the fire on the second floor of the Empress Hotel was caused by an exploding battery.
It was the seventh fire-related death in the city this year. Of those seven, five have been linked to lithium ion batteries — including a house fire in East Vancouver in January that killed a child, their mother and their grandfather.
Read more:
Child, mother, grandfather killed in East Vancouver house fire
"If we're on trend with where we are right now, we're in big trouble," Fire Chief Karen Fry told media Monday. "Last year had five deaths in total. And this year five of our deaths have been related to batteries."
Lithium ion batteries are becoming increasingly common in Canadians homes, and are found in devices ranging from e-bikes and e-scooters to mobile phones.
Video: Increase in lithium ion battery fires due to unsafe use
Capt. Matthew Trudeau, the fire service's public information officer, said the city has documented a 500-per cent increase in fires linked to lithium ion batteries since 2016.
The fires have generally been related to the charging, care, handling and maintenance of equipment, with some user error, he said.
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Vancouver firefighters issue warning amid five-fold increase in battery fires
"We have seen a couple of fires where overcharging has been the problem. In these batteries we're seeing a thermal runaway effect that can cause chemically inside them which make it extremely dangerous and hard to extinguish."
In particular, firefighters are concerned about people modifying their equipment, or using damaged cables or chargers.
Video: E-bike battery issue causing fires
Lithium ion batteries are safe, Trudeau said, so long as people are using quality equipment and exercising caution.
"That includes making sure everyone operates and charges these with care, charges them in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations, they repair and replace their cords, their charging equipment and their batteries with approved devices and avoid the use of any kind of knock-off devices," he said.
Read more:
E-bike battery malfunction in North Vancouver prompts warning for consumers
Fry recommended that people buy electronic devices from a reputable dealer in Canada or that is CSA certified. She said cheaper equipment purchased online is of particular concern.
She said the city's fire service was meeting with BC Housing to look at ways to reduce risks in SROs. It is also looking for help from the province on safety measures, such as a possible ban on keeping e-bikes inside residential units.
"These are all preventable deaths," she said.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are an increasingly deadly problem in the city.
Megan Devlin
Jun 13 2022
Fishman64/Shutterstock
So far this year, five people have died in fires associated with the batteries — making battery fires the number one cause of fire deaths in Vancouver. In total, seven people have died in fires in 2022.
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable cells with relatively high power for their size. They’re often used in portable electronics such as laptops and cellphones and are also present in e-bikes — which have been growing in popularity.
Most recently, one person died in a lithium-ion battery-caused fire in an SRO this weekend, captain of public information with VFRS Matthew Trudeau told Daily Hive.
He spoke at a news conference Monday, saying fires caused by these types of batteries have increased fivefold since 2016.
“It’s very concerning and it’s Canada and US-wise,” he told Daily Hive in a phone interview. “We’re just seeing an inherent problem operating lithium-ion batteries safely.”
Most problems occur when people charge the battery with a cable that’s not approved for use in Canada or is damaged. Although buying a charging cable or a replacement battery online may be cheaper and more appealing, Trudeau urged customers to opt for an option that’s manufacturer-approved — even if it means spending more.
In addition, he recommended people charge devices outside their bedrooms, or outside their homes entirely, if possible.
“If you overcharge them or you charge them incorrectly you can heat them up and it causes an internal runaway effect that … causes a subsequent fire and explosion.”
He mentioned the lithium-ion battery fires have been increasing in frequency ever since people have turned to electric modes of transport with fuel prices increasing. While e-bikes and e-scooters have many benefits, Trudeau urged owners to become familiar with safe charging practices.
“Even outside of these five [fatal] fires we have seen numerous fires for these types of batteries resulting in damage and injury.”
Fires from lithium-ion batteries kill five Vancouverites in six months
Take care charging or modifying lithium ion batteries, experts warn
Joanne Lee-Young - Vancouver Sun
After the death of a tenant at a Downtown Eastside single-room occupancy hotel this weekend, fire safety advocates are urging consumers to take care when storing and charging lithium ion batteries.
© Provided by Vancouver Sun
A memorial for a man killed in an explosion at the Empress Hotel, in the west alley off East Hastings Street in Vancouver on June 14, 2022. Reports say the man, identified in the memorial as Shayne Charleson, was killed when an electric bike battery charging in his room exploded.
These batteries have become increasingly ubiquitous, used to power a range of electronics, including cellphones, power tools, e-bikes and e-scooters.
Laypeople and companies not only need help storing and charging them properly, but should also understand the risks of trying to save money by making their own DIY versions and modifying batteries, observers say.
“The technology has, quite frankly, outpaced the legislation and other practices,” says Gerry Van Houdt, regional sales manager for Denios Canada, which specializes in storage of hazardous materials.
A 32-year-old man died when an e-bike battery exploded, potentially causing him to fall out his window at the Hotel Empress on East Hastings Street.
Vancouver Fire Rescue is connecting with fire prevention services across North America to deal with a trend they are all experiencing, said Capt. Matthew Trudeau.
Of the seven fire-related deaths in Vancouver this year to date, five have been linked to lithium ion batteries, Trudeau said. The number of Vancouver fire deaths for all of 2020 was five.
In New York City, the fire department’s figures for fires related to e-bike lithium batteries are also spiking higher this year and the chief fire marshal has said he is expecting the number to double.
“It’s not one shipment of bad batteries. If it was, you could do a recall notice and get them out, but we’re seeing it every city,” said Trudeau.
The problem is how lithium ion batteries are being handled. With increased fuel prices, it’s possible more people are seeking alternative modes of moving around.
However, the cost of replacing batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters can be in the range of $2,000 to $4,000 compared to a fifth of that if you buy ones that might not be compatible or approved for use by Canadian or other standard-setting body, said Trudeau.
He said that in one of the Vancouver fires, the battery for an e-bike or e-motorcycle hybrid was “modified” extensively, reconfigured to be more powerful.
Instead of taking a battery to a professional who will charge for the service, some people following YouTube videos which show how to rewire systems so that you can, for example, change a battery that was designed to supply 12 volts into one that supplies 48 volts. Quadrupling the power supply like this raises the resistance and heat in a battery.
And that can lead to what is called a “thermal runaway effect” that is very challenging to extinguish once it starts.
Not all of the fatal Vancouver fires are tied to modified lithium ion batteries for bikes and scooters. One just involved a cellphone that was plugged into a damaged cable, said Trudeau.
Van Houdt suggested that instead of having consumers charging medium and high power batteries, like the ones for e-bikes and larger appliances, indoors or in the home, they could use supervised and outdoor workspaces or areas that are separate for doing this.
Denios recently started selling large, metal boxes that are specifically designed for storing new or damaged or questionable lithium ion batteries. It’s an option for companies who might be handling a large batch of batteries or for a building where there are many users of e-bikes. They are resistant to fire for up to two hours, allowing a user to toss in and isolate a lithium battery that has exploded or is on fire and then call the fire department for more help.
jlee-young@postmedia.com
These batteries have become increasingly ubiquitous, used to power a range of electronics, including cellphones, power tools, e-bikes and e-scooters.
Laypeople and companies not only need help storing and charging them properly, but should also understand the risks of trying to save money by making their own DIY versions and modifying batteries, observers say.
“The technology has, quite frankly, outpaced the legislation and other practices,” says Gerry Van Houdt, regional sales manager for Denios Canada, which specializes in storage of hazardous materials.
A 32-year-old man died when an e-bike battery exploded, potentially causing him to fall out his window at the Hotel Empress on East Hastings Street.
Vancouver Fire Rescue is connecting with fire prevention services across North America to deal with a trend they are all experiencing, said Capt. Matthew Trudeau.
Of the seven fire-related deaths in Vancouver this year to date, five have been linked to lithium ion batteries, Trudeau said. The number of Vancouver fire deaths for all of 2020 was five.
In New York City, the fire department’s figures for fires related to e-bike lithium batteries are also spiking higher this year and the chief fire marshal has said he is expecting the number to double.
“It’s not one shipment of bad batteries. If it was, you could do a recall notice and get them out, but we’re seeing it every city,” said Trudeau.
The problem is how lithium ion batteries are being handled. With increased fuel prices, it’s possible more people are seeking alternative modes of moving around.
However, the cost of replacing batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters can be in the range of $2,000 to $4,000 compared to a fifth of that if you buy ones that might not be compatible or approved for use by Canadian or other standard-setting body, said Trudeau.
He said that in one of the Vancouver fires, the battery for an e-bike or e-motorcycle hybrid was “modified” extensively, reconfigured to be more powerful.
Instead of taking a battery to a professional who will charge for the service, some people following YouTube videos which show how to rewire systems so that you can, for example, change a battery that was designed to supply 12 volts into one that supplies 48 volts. Quadrupling the power supply like this raises the resistance and heat in a battery.
And that can lead to what is called a “thermal runaway effect” that is very challenging to extinguish once it starts.
Not all of the fatal Vancouver fires are tied to modified lithium ion batteries for bikes and scooters. One just involved a cellphone that was plugged into a damaged cable, said Trudeau.
Van Houdt suggested that instead of having consumers charging medium and high power batteries, like the ones for e-bikes and larger appliances, indoors or in the home, they could use supervised and outdoor workspaces or areas that are separate for doing this.
Denios recently started selling large, metal boxes that are specifically designed for storing new or damaged or questionable lithium ion batteries. It’s an option for companies who might be handling a large batch of batteries or for a building where there are many users of e-bikes. They are resistant to fire for up to two hours, allowing a user to toss in and isolate a lithium battery that has exploded or is on fire and then call the fire department for more help.
jlee-young@postmedia.com
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