The Calgary fire department has issued a warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries after crews responded to three separate fires over a 24-hour period.
The first call, to a structure fire in the 0-100 block of Covercreek Mews Northeast, came in at around 9:25 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6.
When firefighters arrived they found a two-storey home with an attached garage in the front and staining from smoke on the outside of the garage door.
The occupants of the home led them to the inside of the garage where they were met with thick dark smoke, but no visible flames.
A fire investigator discovered three electric scooters and determined the fire had originated in one of them as they were being charged.
One of the occupants of the home was assessed by paramedics for smoke inhalation and a fan was set up to ventilate the garage.
The second fire happened at around 3:35 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7 at a large commercial warehouse in the 6600 block of 106 Avenue Southeast.
When firefighters arrived, they located a fire in a compactor on the exterior of the building and used a fire extinguisher to knock it down.
Get breaking National news
Staff, who had already exited the building when the alarm went off, told a fire investigator they saw a glow coming from the boxes in the compactor immediately before the fire broke out.
They also reported having previous fires due to lithium-ion batteries being inadvertently left in boxes that were going through the compactor.
The investigator determined the batteries were the most likely source of the fire.
The third call came in around 3:50 a.m. on Friday to a fire in a two-storey home in the 0-100 block of Saddlemont Close Northeast.
When crews arrived they discovered smoke coming from a side door to the basement.
Visibility inside the basement was low because of the smoke, but firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire.
All the occupants had safety evacuated the house, but a cat was rescued during a search of the rest of the home.
A fire investigator determined the fire originated in an electric scooter that had been plugged in to recharge.
The fires have prompted the Calgary Fire Department to issue reminders about the danger of lithium-ion batteries and their safe use, including:
- Unplug lithium batteries from chargers once they have charged to 100 per cent to prevent overcharging
- Avoid leaving batteries unattended while charging
- Avoid charging batteries that show signs of damage, swelling, overheating, or physical deterioration
- Follow manufacturer’s charging instructions and use compatible equipment for charging
- Learn how to safely dispose of batteries, keeping them out of blue, black, or green carts
According to the City of Calgary, fires or explosions involving lithium-ion batteries can occur when they are damaged, improperly stored or disposed of, misused, overcharged or haven’t been manufactured to proper safety standards.
In some cases, the resulting explosions can be strong enough to blow out windows.
When they overheat, they can reach temperatures up to 537 C and the smoke they create can contain toxic gases.
More information on fire safety and prevention can be found at www.calgary.ca/fire.