The Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office is raising concerns about potential fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in products like smart phones, laptops and e-scooters.
A report released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found 208 fire incidents occurred in the past two years, resulting in 19 deaths linked to lithium-ion battery fires or overheating of batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries supply power to many kinds of devices including smart phones, laptops, e-scooters, bikes, cigarettes, smoke alarms, toys and even cars. If damaged or used incorrectly, these batteries can catch on fire or explode, the state fire marshal’s office said in a press release.
The number of battery fires is growing as the number of battery-operated devices increases. The fires can cause extensive damage and, in some cases, be fatal, the press release said.
Take the following precautions when using lithium-ion batteries:
– Purchase and use devices that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
– Only use charging cords that come with the device.
– Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed or on a sofa.
– Do not keep charging the device or device battery after it is fully charged.
– Only use the battery that is designed for the device.
– Store batteries away from anything that can catch fire.
– Put batteries in the device the right way.
– Keep batteries at room temperature when possible. Do not charge them at temperatures below 32°F (0°C) or above 105°F (40°C).