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The State Fire Marshal’s office has created a tool to better track the number of fires involving lithium-ion batteries, as electric vehicles, e-bikes and scooters catch ablaze.
Investigators assigned to the office are now collecting a host of information when responding to fires involving lithium-ion batteries, such as make and model of the device, purchase history, and whether it was charging at the time of the blaze.
Such fires are on the increase nationwide, officials say, particularly in New York City, as more and more people seek items powered by lithium-ion batteries. Smaller devices include e-cigarettes and smartphones.
“Across the country, and most visibly in New York City, fires caused by or involving lithium-ion batteries are on the rise, and often with deadly consequences,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in an announcement Tuesday. “One of the greatest challenges in addressing the increase in these fires is quantifying them.
The number of fires sparked by batteries in Massachusetts more than doubled between 2019 and 2022, from five to 12 last year. It is unclear how many there have been so far this year, as data comes in “over many months,” said Jake Wark, spokesman for DFS.
Those numbers, however, include all types of batteries, but DFS officials believe Li-ion batteries comprise a significant amount, Wark said.
One challenge in determining the exact amount of fires sparked by Li-ion batteries is that departments across the state report data using the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System. That system “mirrors” the national system and does not distinguish between various types.
“Fires may also be coded by the type of device rather than the type of battery, missing the factor that makes lithium-ion battery fires particularly dangerous,” according to officials.
DFS has sent a checklist to every fire chief in the state that local departments will use to collect information when responding to incidents involving Li-ion batteries in their cities and towns. A majority of investigations don’t receive state assistance.
Medford firefighters, in the spring, responded to a pair of blazes powered by Li-ion batteries being charged for e-scooters. The fires, on April 30 and June 3, displaced 12 residents between the two homes, sending three to the hospital.
In January, Wakefield firefighters responded to a single-car crash and electric vehicle fire on Interstate 95. As responders prepared to remove the vehicle from the scene, a guardrail pierced its undercarriage, causing the lithium-ion batteries to go into a thermal runaway, with flames fully engulfing the car.
“We believe these batteries are underreported as a factor in significant fires,” Davine said. “More comprehensive data will help the fire service gauge the true scope of the issue and help guide future regulations and legislation.”
New York City has made national headlines, with the number of incidents there, soaring well over 200, injuring more than 100 and killing 14. The latest fire came early Tuesday, leaving five people in Brooklyn with injuries.
After a series of fires involving faulty e-bike batteries including a blaze that claimed four lives in June, New York City officials announced that they are receiving a $25 million emergency grant from the federal government to fund scores of charging stations citywide.
Battery Equipment The Associated Press contributed to this report