Fire officials are reminding residents about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries.
According to the Huntsville Lake of Bays Fire Department, improperly stored or damaged batteries can catch fire, which can quickly get out of control.
In a video posted to the department’s YouTube channel, Deputy Fire Chief Paul Calleja says a lithium-ion cell the size of a finger can release up to eight litres of flammable hydrogen gas. When one cell catches fire, he says it starts a chain reaction in other cells, in a process known as thermal runaway. “Eight litres becomes 16, becomes 24, and before you know it you’ve got hundreds of litres of hydrogen in that small area that are highly combustible,” he says.
Calleja says to keep an eye out for warning signs of a damaged battery, such as expansion, shape changes, excessive heat, fluids or vapor leaking out, and hissing or popping sounds.
He adds to use undamaged charging cables, remove charging batteries when they’re full, and not to store or charge them in hot places, on soft surfaces, or by an exit you might use in an emergency.
“If you have something that’s been exposed to heat, whether just on the dash of your vehicle, or in a window at home, or near a fireplace—you may not be able to tell just by looking at it that it could become an issue for you,” says Calleja. “But maybe keep it in a place where it’s safe, where it’s not near a means of egress. So if it does become an issue and go into thermal runaway, it doesn’t pose a bigger issue for you and your family.”
Calleja adds batteries should never be thrown into the general trash. Rather, take them to a hazardous material depot or e-recycling centre.
