(Rexburg Police Department Facebook Page, October 27, 2025)
On Saturday, there were two separate residential fires which both appeared to be related to lithium batteries.
Thankfully, both fires were quickly reported and handled before they could spread to the whole structure. But we would still like to share seven helpful tips on safety with these new batteries, since they tend to be in everything these days. They are commonly seen in e-bikes and scooters. Make sure you read the manuals that come with your devices.
- Only use official batteries, chargers, and accessories from the manufacturer. Sorry, but it’s not worth saving a buck to order cheap batteries off Temu.
- This also includes extension cords! Best practice is to avoid extension cords. If you have to use one, you need a heavier duty cord which is from a quality manufacturer and meets all requirements in your device’s user guide. A cord which might be fine for 99% of your other devices can be the weak point in a system when charging these heavy duty lithium batteries. The cord itself can actually catch fire!
- Don’t charge your devices near doors. It might be convenient to charge your bike or scooter right by the door so you can take it in and out fast. However, this means if it catches fire, it is blocking your fastest exit.
- Remove batteries from chargers as soon as they are done charging. Don’t leave them on the charger indefinitely.
- Inspect batteries for leaks, swelling, or other things that don’t look right. If you see something like that, take it out of your house and properly dispose of it.
- Consider investing in lithium-safe charging bags or boxes. These can mitigate risk and contain a fire when it does start.
- If you have a battery explode or catch fire, immediately call 911 and evacuate the building. Some of these batteries have burning chemicals which cannot be extinguished by normal fire extinguishers. These chemicals cause harmful gas and smoke and should be handled by professionals with proper safety equipment.
As these batteries become more and more common, we unfortunately expect to see more incidents like this. Take some steps to keep you and your property safe!
