Lithium-ion battery fire prompts warning from La. officials

NACHITOCHES, La. (WAFB) - The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office has a new warning for the public after a lithium-ion battery sparked a fire on Saturday, March 11.

The battery on an e-bicycle was compromised and caught fire at a home in Natchitoches.

While the fire was quickly brought under control, officials warn that Lithium-ion batteries can pose a serious fire risk.

There were 200 fires in 2022 in New York City alone caused by batteries from e-bicycles, electric scooters, and similar devices.

The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office released the below tips to safely use Lithium-ion batteries.

Only use the charger supplied by the brand that matches the battery.
Only plug the charger directly into the wall.
Do not overcharge lithium-ion batteries or leave them plugged in and charging indefinitely.
Make sure you have a smoke detector in the area where you charge your lithium-ion battery. It is not recommended to store e-bikes, scooters, or hoverboards inside the home or garage.
If your battery has been involved in a flooding event, dented, or damaged in any way, consider it permanently damaged and do not charge it.
Keep an ABC class fire extinguisher or a dry-chemical fire extinguisher on hand to quickly extinguish a battery fire or explosion.

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