Toronto sees 72% jump in lithium-ion battery fires, but what’s being done to address safety?

As Toronto Fire Services reports another noticeable jump of lithium-ion battery fires in mobility devices, it raises questions about what’s being done to address the emerging safety concerns.

The most recent fire happened in downtown Toronto near Yonge and Church streets on Sunday after an e-bike battery caught fire in a residential building. Two people had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The cause and circumstances of the fire are still under investigation.

In all of 2022, there were 29 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries. However, there have been 50 such fires so far in 2023.

CityNews spoke with Toronto Fire Services deputy chief Larry Cocco to talk about the increase in incidents. He said the three typical causes are thermal (overheated), electrical (overcharged or charged with substandard equipment) or physical (damaged batteries) failures.

“The devices that are manufactured correctly and maintained correctly, we’re not seeing the problem. What we’re seeing is when the devices are not cared for properly or used properly,” he said.

“When the devices are not cared for properly or used properly, altering the battery is going to guarantee you a failure. Altering the device is going to guarantee a failure.

“We’ve had incidents for example, where an individual wanted to increase the power in their e-bike so they doubled the battery capacity and the device couldn’t handle it.”

RELATED: Fires connected to e-bike batteries spike in Toronto amid increased use

Cocco also referenced an incident where a lithium-ion battery caught fire 87 days after it was damaged.

“If you have a lithium ion battery and you’re concerned that it’s failing and if it’s off-gassing or showing signs of smoke, we recommend you leave your residence, close the door behind you and call 911 and our crews will respond and address the battery,” he said.

“If you have concerns about a battery and you want to dispose of it properly, throwing it in the garbage is not an option because when it’s picked up in the waste cycle, if it gets crushed, it can start a fire in the apparatus.”

Cocco urged mobility device users to get batteries and chargers rated by accredited agencies in Canada, and original equipment recommended by the device’s manufacturer to reduce the risk.

This issue isn’t one that is restricted to Toronto. Other major places, such as New York City, have been dealing with the same issue as more people shift to using smaller mobility devices to get around.

In March, New York Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced a bill in Congress to create stronger safety standards for lithium-ion batteries. The bill still needs to be voted on at a committee.

RELATED: Rising concern about lithium-ion batteries safety amid increase in fires

CityNews contacted Canadian Health Minister Mark Holland’s office to ask about what’s being done to address battery safety since consumer product safety falls under his portfolio.

A spokesperson said in a statement the department reviews reported incidents and encouraged people to file complaints, adding that can lead to recalls sometimes being issued.

“Under the Consumer product safety acts and regulations, manufacturers have the responsibility to ensure that their products are safe and comply with all requirements of the Act, and compliance verification activities, including inspections, are undertaken to verify industry’s compliance with the corresponding regulatory requirements,” Jeff Woodland wrote.

He went on to say departmental staff plan on conducting a formal evaluation of lithium-ion batteries. CityNews asked for additional information on the review, but details weren’t released.

“As the evaluation is in the planning stage, Health Canada can’t publicly discuss details. That being said, the department will not hesitate to take risk management actions if a product is deemed unsafe for Canadians, including issuing a recall or a safety alert,” Woodland wrote in a follow-up statement.

Meanwhile, Cocco said research is happening in Toronto and beyond to come up with better recommendations for dealing with lithium-ion battery safety risks.

“This is new technology and as technology evolves, many times, regulation and codes lag behind — they can’t keep up with the technology,” he said.

“The fire service has always shown that we’re open to accepting a new challenge and coming up with strategies based on evidence and evidence-based research.”

Toronto Fire Services tips for minimizing risk of fires from lithium-ion batteries

• Make sure the product has a CSA or UL designation (the organizations in Canada and the United States, respectively, that thoroughly test the equipment)
• Pay attention to, and follow, electronic charging recommendations
• Use the charging device that comes with the item to avoid overcharging
• Replace batteries with ones recommended by the manufacturer, be extra careful about and avoid after-market ones not rated for device
• Don’t leave devices charging for an extended time without monitoring
• Don’t charge items on soft surfaces like beds since the devices can’t cool properly and could overheat
• Properly dispose of damaged lithium-ion batteries as soon as possible
• Don’t throw lithium-ion batteries in garbage, treat as hazardous waste (Cocco said firefighters have had to respond to fires at waste transfer stations caused by disposal)