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Understanding the Risks: Why Lithium Batteries Can Catch Fire
While there are many benefits that come with using electric vehicles and battery-powered tools, there are also some risks to be aware of. In rare cases, lithium batteries have been known to overheat or even catch fire. These incidents can lead to devastating property losses and even fatal injuries. Understanding how these batteries work and the risks that come with using them can be invaluable, especially to anyone who has been hurt in a fire.
How Lithium Batteries Work
At their core, lithium-ion batteries consist of multiple cells with a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a liquid electrolyte. During charging and discharging, lithium ions move between the electrodes. This process is efficient and energy-dense, which is why lithium batteries are so widely used. However, if this delicate system is disrupted, it can trigger a dangerous phenomenon known as thermal runaway, a self-heating chemical reaction that can lead to fire or explosion.
Common Causes of Lithium Battery Fires
Several factors can lead to lithium battery fires. Some of them are related to how the battery is designed, while may be the result of some other factor. Battery fires can start because of the following reasons:
Overcharging
If a battery is charged beyond its limit, high internal temperatures can eventually result in a fire. This can happen when external sources cause the battery to overheat as well.
Manufacturing Defects
Batteries with poor internal insulation, misaligned electrodes, or low-quality components are more likely to fail. Even a tiny defect in a single cell can cause a chain reaction across the entire pack.
Physical Damage
Physical damage can wreak havoc on a battery, as a sudden and unexpected impact can lead to the internal components short-circuiting and igniting.
Incompatible Devices
Using non-approved chargers or aftermarket equipment can cause voltage mismatches. These mismatches can be dangerous, as they greatly increase the risk of overheating.
Moisture
Many of these incidents occur when batteries are exposed to moisture. Electrical shorts can occur when the coils within these batteries come into contact with water or humidity.
What is a Thermal Runway?
Thermal runaway occurs when the battery’s internal temperature rapidly increases, causing it to release flammable gases. These gases can ignite and generate intense heat, often making the fire difficult to extinguish. In tightly packed battery systems like those you can find in electric cars, the fire can spread quickly.
How to Minimize the Risk
While lithium battery fires are serious, they are also rare. You can take some important steps to reduce the risk of a fire by taking certain steps, including storing batteries in a dry place and only using manufacturer-approved chargers.
Taking these steps may not only reduce the risk of a fire, but it can also provide you with a stronger case for compensation. If your attorney can rule out that your own actions led to the fire, it only strengthens a potential defective product lawsuit.
Call Today To Discuss Your Legal Options
You have the right to pursue a case for compensation after being injured in a lithium battery fire. Our personal injury attorneys can help you identify the cause of the fire and assist you in seeking justice. Call today to learn how Clark, Fountain, Littky-Rubin & Whitman can help you get the results you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are lithium battery fires really that common?
Lithium battery fires are still relatively rare compared with how many devices and vehicles use them every day. However, when a failure does occur, the fire can be intense, fast‑moving, and difficult to extinguish, which is why safety agencies treat this risk very seriously.
- What is actually happening inside the battery when it catches fire?
Inside a lithium‑ion cell, a flammable liquid electrolyte sits between a positive and negative electrode that shuttle lithium ions back and forth. If the separator between them fails, or the cell is overheated or crushed, the reaction can run out of control and generate enough heat to ignite the electrolyte and surrounding cells.
- What is “thermal runaway” in simple terms?
Thermal runaway is a self‑feeding loop where heat inside the battery creates more chemical reactions, which release even more heat. Once this loop starts, temperature can spike rapidly, venting flammable gas, rupturing the cell, and igniting neighboring cells in a pack or tool.
- What common things can trigger a lithium battery fire?
Typical triggers include overcharging, using a charger that delivers the wrong voltage or current, physical damage from drops or impacts, internal manufacturing defects, exposure to extreme heat, or moisture intrusion. In many real‑world fires, more than one factor is involved—for example, a low‑quality battery plus an off‑brand fast charger.
- When is the manufacturer potentially at fault?
A manufacturer may be liable when a defect in design, materials, or quality control makes the battery unreasonably dangerous even when used as intended. Examples include poor internal insulation, misaligned electrodes, inadequate protection circuits, or packs that fail under normal charging and use conditions.
- When might a lithium battery fire be considered user or third‑party error?
Responsibility may fall on the user or another company when the battery is abused, modified, or paired with incompatible equipment. Risky behavior includes using knock‑off chargers, ignoring visible damage or swelling, bypassing safety circuits, or having a third‑party repair shop improperly rebuild or repack cells.
- What warning signs should I watch for with lithium batteries?
Danger signs include swelling, bulging, hissing, popping noises, unusual heat, burning smells, smoke, discoloration, leaking fluid, or a device that suddenly gets much hotter than normal while charging or in use. If you notice these, move the device away from flammable items if it is safe, unplug it, and do not continue using or charging it.
- How can I reduce the risk of a lithium battery fire at home?
Practical steps include using only manufacturer‑approved or certified chargers, avoiding overnight or unattended charging, keeping devices off beds and sofas while plugged in, and storing batteries in a cool, dry, ventilated area away from direct sun and heat sources. Never use a battery that is damaged, swollen, or has been exposed to significant water unless the manufacturer says it is safe.
- What should I do if a lithium battery starts smoking or catches fire?
If you see smoke, sparks, or flames, get people away from the area and call emergency services. If it is small and safe to do so, some people use a Class B/C fire extinguisher or large amounts of water on consumer lithium‑ion fires, but personal safety and quick evacuation are more important than saving the device.
- What evidence should I save if I think a defective lithium battery caused a fire?
If it’s safe after the incident, preserve what remains of the device or battery, keep the charger and cables, take photos or video of the damage, and gather purchase receipts and warranty paperwork. This documentation helps your attorney and technical experts determine whether a defect was involved and whether a product liability claim is possible.
