ON FIRE ❘ by MICHAEL N. CIAMPO
Most of us use some type of portable electrical device for work, for recreation, or to keep pace with what’s happening in the world and our social life. Lithium-ion batteries are being used to power numerous objects, from e-cigarettes, cell phones, laptop computers, hoverboards, bicycles, and scooters to the larger batteries in automobiles, trucks, and buses. In addition, when we respond to a dwelling with solar panels on the roof, we can bet we’re going to find some kind of storage batteries somewhere in the home. Technology often has a habit of running away from the fire service, and we’re always in a knee-jerk reaction to catch up to it.
Departments across the country can bet that they’ll be responding to an emergency or a fire in its incipient or well-involved stage caused by the charging or failure of lithium-ion batteries. These fires can be minor in nature or they can require a large-scale operation to control.
We already encountered a simple laptop battery that erupted in fire when it was charging on a bed while a college student was studying. Luckily, the student threw a wet towel over the computer and closed the bedroom door. On our arrival, we unplugged the unit from the charger and used the pressurized water can on the smoldering mattress and computer.
In another situation, an e-scooter charging in the basement of a mixed occupancy ignited in the middle of the evening. The 911 caller stated there was an odor of smoke on the third floor of the building. Entering the structure, we encountered an odor but had no smoke in the stairwell of the three-story dwelling. During a perimeter search, we spotted smoke issuing from two rear windows in the basement. The basement had an exterior entrance, and once we forced its fortified door, we encountered a large volume of fire in the bodega’s storage area. Once the fire was extinguished with a hoseline, its origin was determined to be from the charging of an electric scooter. The scooter was almost completely destroyed, and there weren’t any remnants of electrical wiring or the battery preserved.
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After the fire, an informal critique was conducted, and a few members discussed that the original odor had a peculiar smell to it and wasn’t the normal smell associated with a fire. When we got back to quarters, since it was our first experience with a scooter and our neighborhood is full of them, we began an investigation into these types of fires. Much of the information we found was new to many of us and told us we weren’t dealing with batteries of years past. In addition, we learned some new terminology that was most likely going to be with us for years to come, as we’ll encounter these situations more commonly with so many lithium-ion batteries in use.
Firefighters who encounter a lithium-ion battery that is smoking or damaged should be wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). The white smoke issuing from the battery is toxic and highly flammable. If the battery is making popping noises or emitting white smoke, this may indicate a process known as thermal runaway. Thermal runaway, in layman’s terms, basically means the heat generated inside the battery causes more heat; if it continues to heat, it will fail, explode, or erupt in fire. In videos of these fires, often the battery is leaking smoke and fumes and then increases as if a “relief valve” opened; hissing noises get louder and often a loud pop occurs, igniting the battery, with violent flames erupting from the device.
If an e-bike or scooter is outside, we can deploy our hoseline in an attempt to extinguish the fire and cool the battery. It is wise to have a qualified hazmat unit respond to the incident.
Recently, an engine company responded on an emergency medical services run to a bicyclist struck. On arrival, they were surprised to find an e-scooter was struck and severely damaged with the battery compromised. Luckily, it didn’t ignite, but it did expose the members to the hazardous materials leaking from the battery.
If an e-device is burning inside a structure, firefighters will have to follow standard operating procedures for extinguishing a structural fire. When the fire is over, use caution in removing the electrical device from the structure. Full PPE and SCBA will protect you from any toxic fumes escaping or if a fire suddenly occurs.
Lithium-ion batteries can reignite when the internal mechanisms of the battery shift and create new electrical flow paths and experience thermal runaway—resulting in a secondary fire, which can initially be explosive in nature. Batteries have been known to reignite days later even though they were initially extinguished.
Avoid transporting the device in an elevator; use the stairs, if possible. You don’t want to be in an “enclosed box” when the battery suddenly ignites. When transporting the device down the stairs, it may be practical to have a charged hoseline nearby to protect the members if the battery reignites. Control of the doors in the stairwell is also a good idea. We don’t want to have a severe draft being pulled from the bottom to the top, which could increase the intensity of the fire.
If a battery is on fire and not in an electrical device, once it is extinguished, submerge the battery in water in a five-gallon bucket or trash can. Leave the cover off so there is no buildup of gases inside the container and transport it out of the structure. Once outside, move the battery away from the building so if reignition occurs it doesn’t extend into the building.
As times change, our procedures and tactics will need updating. There are new products being developed for battling these fires that will be on your apparatus in the future.
MICHAEL N. CIAMPO is a 36-year veteran of the fire service and a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC International Truck Essentials H.O.T. program. He wrote the Ladders and Ventilation chapters for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and the Bread and Butter Portable Ladders DVD and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos.
