The Grand Rapids Fire Department has responded to three lithium-ion battery fires in the last month, one in which a rechargeable battery caused significant damage to a resident’s home.
“This actually occurred in my neighborhood. I happen to know this citizen and seen him riding this device regularly in the neighborhood, so I wouldn’t have thought anything of it.”
Grand Rapids Fire Marshal Bill Smith explains rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can pose a significant fire risk if not properly charged, cared for, or disposed of. Captain Mike Witteveen adds the technology for these devices is moving so fast, it’s hard for fire safety officials to keep up.
“We’re kind of in the wild, wild west where the best practices, we don’t know them yet. What we’re doing is what we think is the best practice right now, but that’s going to be constantly changing as new technologies come out.”
GRFD recently sent officials to New York City to learn how fire department’s there are responding to battery fires, of which Witteveen says they deal with multiple calls daily.
Marshal Smith encourages residents to purchase only devices tested by recognized labs and to avoid off-brand chargers and do-it-yourself modifications. You can learn more online from the U.S. Fire Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission websites.
