NFRS 2025 9 - lithium-ion battery fires

You asked for

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, on behalf of global insurer QBE, to request the following information from the Fire Authority. Please may you provide me with responses to the questions below.

If possible, please provide the information in the Excel spreadsheet attached. If you are unable to answer any questions, please complete the questionnaire as best as possible and share any available relevant data.

1. How many fires linked to lithium-ion batteries did you record in the following periods?
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024
2. How many fires linked to lithium-ion batteries took place in the following locations in 2024, commercial property, house or flat, outdoors?
   1. Commercial property:
   2. House or flat:
   3. Outdoors:
3. How many fatalities as a result of lithium-ion fires did you record in the following periods?
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:
4. How many fires involving an electric bike did you record in the following periods?
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:
5. How many fires involving an electric bike were from either of the following in 2024?
   1. Converted battery e-bikes:
   2. Officially manufactured e-bikes:
6. How many e-bike fires from 1st Jan to 31 Dec 2024 were caused for the following reasons?
   1. Manufacturing defect
   2. overcharging
   3. physical damage post-purchase
   4. battery modification
7. What is the average financial cost for your fire service to suppress an e-bike fire?
   1. £0 - £999
   2. £1000 - £4999
   3. £5,000- 9,999
   4. £10,000 +
8. What is the average length of time to suppress an e-bike fire?
   1. 0-1 hour
   2. 1-5 hours
   3. 6-10 hours
   4. 10+ hours
9. How many fires involving an electric scooter did you record in the following periods?
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:
10. How many fires involving an electric car did you record in the following periods?
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:
11. What is the average length of time to suppress an electric car fire?
    1. 0-1 hour
    2. 1-5 hours
    3. 6-10 hours
    4. 10+ hours
12. How many fires involving an electric mobility scooter did you record in thefollowing periods?
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:
13. How many fires involving an electric bus/ coach did you record in the following periods?
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022:
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023:
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024:

Our Response

1. How many fires linked to lithium-ion batteries did you record in the following periods? 
   Answer: -
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 5
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 18
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 15
2. How many fires linked to lithium-ion batteries took place in the following locations in 2024, commercial property, house or flat, outdoors? 
   Answer: -
   1. Commercial property: 2 (1+ industrial property)
   2. House or flat: 9
   3. Outdoors: 3
3. How many fatalities as a result of lithium-ion fires did you record in the following periods? 
   Answer: - 
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 0
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 0
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 0
4. How many fires involving an electric bike did you record in the following periods? 
   Answer: -
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 3
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 5
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 5
5. How many fires involving an electric bike were from either of the following in 2024? 
   Answer: -
   1. Converted battery e-bikes: No Information Held/Located
   2. Officially manufactured e-bikes: No Information Held/Located
6. How many e-bike fires from 1st Jan to 31 Dec 2024 were caused for the following reasons? 
   Answer: -
   1. Manufacturing defect: No Information Held/Located
   2. Overcharging: No Information Held/Located
   3. physical damage post-purchase: No Information Held/Located
   4. battery modification: 2 recorded as ‘tampering of battery’
7. What is the average financial cost for your fire service to suppress an e-bike fire? 
   Answer: - We do not record average costs per incident.
   1. £0 - £999:
   2. £1000 - £4999:
   3. £5,000- 9,999 d) £10,000 +:
8. What is the average length of time to suppress an e-bike fire? 
   Answer: -
   1. 0-1 hour: 10 incidents (36 mins average)
   2. 1-5 hours: 5 incidents (85 mins average)
   3. 6-10 hours: No Information Held/Located
   4. 10+ hours: No Information Held/Located
9. How many fires involving an electric scooter did you record in the following periods? 
   Answer: -
   1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 4
   2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 4
   3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 4
10. How many fires involving an electric car did you record in the following periods? 
    Answer: -
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 0
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 0
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 1
11. What is the average length of time to suppress an electric car fire? 
    Answer: -
    1. 0-1hour: No Information Held/Located
    2. 1-5 hours: 123 mins
    3. 6-10 hours: No Information Held/Located
    4. 10+ hours: No Information Held/Located
12. How many fires involving an electric mobility scooter did you record in the following periods? 
    Answer: -
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: 0
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: 1
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: 2
13. How many fires involving an electric bus/ coach did you record in the following periods? 
    Answer: -
    1. 1st Jan - 31st December 2022: No Information Held/Located
    2. 1st Jan - 31st December 2023: No Information Held/Located
    3. 1st Jan - 31st December 2024: No Information Held/Located

Please note that our incident recording system does not include specific fields to distinguish between electric and non-electric vehicle fires. As a result, this information is recorded only in the attending officer’s comments. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the data provides a fully accurate or complete picture.