Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
Understanding the risks, prevention strategies, and emergency response protocols for one of modern society's most underestimated hazards.
What is a Lithium-Ion Battery Fire?
Lithium-ion batteries power our modern lives—from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and power tools. While generally safe, these batteries contain highly reactive materials that can ignite under certain conditions.
When a lithium-ion battery fails, it undergoes a process called thermal runaway. This self-sustaining reaction releases enormous amounts of heat, toxic gases, and can cause violent explosions.
Unlike conventional fires, lithium battery fires are extremely difficult to extinguish, can reignite hours or even days after appearing to be out, and produce toxic fluoride gases that pose serious health risks.
Common Devices with Li-ion Batteries
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Mobile Phones & Tablets
Daily charging cycles increase wear over time
-
E-bikes & E-scooters
High-capacity batteries with significant fire risk
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Power Tools
High-drain applications stress battery cells
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Home Battery Systems
Large capacity poses increased risk to property
The Unique Dangers
Extreme Temperatures
Thermal runaway can reach temperatures exceeding 3,000°C—hot enough to melt steel and ignite surrounding materials instantly.
Delayed Reignition
These fires can appear extinguished but reignite hours or even days later as residual chemical reactions continue within damaged cells.
Toxic Gas Release
Burning lithium batteries release hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, and other highly toxic gases that can cause severe injury or death.
Explosive Potential
Rapid pressure buildup can cause batteries to violently rupture or explode, projecting burning debris and accelerating fire spread.
Difficult to Extinguish
Standard fire extinguishers are often ineffective. Water can help cool batteries but may also cause reactions. Specialist methods are required.
Chain Reaction Risk
In multi-cell batteries, one failing cell can trigger adjacent cells, causing a cascading thermal runaway that rapidly escalates the fire.
Prevention Guidelines
Do
- Use only manufacturer-approved chargers and cables
- Store batteries in cool, dry locations away from heat sources
- Inspect batteries regularly for swelling, damage, or unusual warmth
- Charge devices on hard, non-flammable surfaces
- Replace batteries that show signs of degradation
- Ensure smoke alarms are installed and working
Don't
- Never leave devices charging unattended overnight
- Never charge devices on beds, sofas, or carpets
- Never use damaged, swollen, or counterfeit batteries
- Never expose batteries to extreme heat or direct sunlight
- Never puncture, crush, or physically damage batteries
- Never dispose of batteries in regular household waste
Warning Signs of Battery Failure
Device becomes unusually hot during use or charging
Battery or device case appears bulging or deformed
Sweet, chemical, or burning smell from device
Rapid battery drain or unexpected shutdowns
Emergency Response
In case of emergency, call immediately:
000
Immediate Actions
Evacuate Immediately
Alert everyone and leave the area. Close doors behind you to slow fire spread.
Call Emergency Services
Dial 000 and inform them it is a lithium battery fire. This helps crews prepare.
Do Not Breathe Fumes
The smoke is highly toxic. Stay low and get to fresh air as quickly as possible.
Never Move a Burning Battery
This risks burns and spreading the fire. Leave firefighting to professionals.
If Safe to Act
Only attempt firefighting if:
- • The fire is very small and contained
- • You have a clear escape route
- • You won't expose yourself to toxic fumes
Recommended method: Large amounts of water can help cool the battery and prevent thermal runaway from spreading. However, be aware that water may cause reactions with lithium—maintain distance and evacuate if fire grows.
Critical Warning
Even after a battery fire appears extinguished, the battery can reignite. Keep the area ventilated, monitor for several hours, and do not dispose of the battery until cleared by fire services.
Safe Battery Disposal
Never in General Waste
Lithium batteries must never be placed in household rubbish bins. They pose fire risks in garbage trucks and landfills.
Drop-Off Locations
Use designated battery recycling points at retailers, council facilities, or dedicated e-waste collection services.
Safe Preparation
Tape over battery terminals with non-conductive tape before disposal to prevent short circuits during transport.
Find a Battery Recycling Point
Contact your local council or visit B-cycle to find battery drop-off locations near you.
Visit B-cycle AustraliaUnderstanding Hot Loads
⚠️ What is a Hot Load?
A hot load occurs when combustible or reactive material—often lithium-ion batteries—ignites within a waste load. These fires can start during collection, transport, or at tipping facilities, and require immediate identification and isolation to prevent escalation and protect personnel and equipment.
Leading Cause of Fires
Hot loads are a primary source of truck and facility fires across the waste and recycling sector, often resulting in facility shutdowns and equipment damage.
Multi-Stage Risk
Hot loads can ignite at any stage—during kerbside collection, in transport trucks, at transfer stations, or at recycling facilities where crushing and processing accelerate failures.
Rapid Escalation
Quick identification, isolation, and suppression are critical to prevent fires from spreading to adjacent loads or machinery.
Hot Load Response Protocols
Early Detection
Train staff to recognise early warning signs: smoke, heat, unusual odours, or visible flames in loads.
Immediate Isolation
Move the affected load away from personnel and adjacent materials to prevent fire spread.
Escalation & Response
Alert management and emergency services. Follow facility hot load procedures for suppression and containment.
Documentation
Record all details for incident analysis and regulatory reporting where required.
Success Depends on:
- • Clear procedures that all staff understand and can execute quickly
- • Regular training on identification, response, and safe practices
- • Appropriate equipment for isolation, suppression, and monitoring
- • Strong communication between staff, management, and emergency services
- • Continuous learning from incidents and near-misses
Emergency Response & Incident Management
Life Safety First
The safety of personnel, emergency responders, and the public is the absolute priority. All other considerations are secondary.
Early Isolation
Quickly isolate and contain the affected load to prevent fire spread to adjacent materials and equipment.
Clear Communication
Provide emergency services with accurate information about the battery fire, its location, and facility resources.
Post-Incident Actions
Incident Review & Root Cause Analysis
Conduct a thorough investigation to understand how the battery entered the waste stream and identify system failures or gaps.
Reporting & Regulatory Engagement
Report the incident to regulators, insurers, and other relevant stakeholders as required by law or regulation.
Procedural Updates
Revise procedures, training, or controls to prevent recurrence based on findings from the investigation.
Staff Training & Communication
Communicate lessons learned to all staff and refresh training to ensure understanding and buy-in for new procedures.
The Value of Learning
Every incident—and near-miss—is an opportunity to improve. Organisations that systematically learn from these events strengthen their safety culture and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
- Share findings across the organisation and industry where appropriate
- Track trends and patterns to identify systemic issues
- Continuously review and update risk management approaches
Regulation, Guidance & Expectations
General Environmental & Safety Duties
Waste operators have a duty of care to manage waste safely, minimise harm, and protect human health and the environment.
Dangerous Goods & Transport
Lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods in transport. Compliance with hazard classification, documentation, and packaging requirements is mandatory.
Waste Acceptance & Contamination
Facilities must implement controls to prevent hazardous materials—including batteries—from entering waste streams where they shouldn't be.
What Regulators Increasingly Expect
Risk Management Systems
Documented procedures, controls, and systems demonstrating systematic identification and mitigation of battery fire risk.
Training & Competency
Evidence that staff are trained to recognise batteries, understand risks, and respond appropriately to incidents.
Continuous Improvement
Regular review of procedures, incorporation of lessons learned, and demonstration of evolving best practices.
Industry Leadership: VWMA Activities
The Victorian Waste Management Association is actively supporting the sector in managing battery fire risk through:
What You Can Do Now
Review Your Operations
Assess how batteries are currently managed in your workplace, community, or facility. Identify gaps and areas for improvement.
Strengthen Education
Invest in clear, consistent community messaging and staff training to ensure everyone understands battery risks and proper handling.
Embed Battery Risk
Incorporate battery management into contracts, standard procedures, and training programs to ensure consistent accountability.
Engage with Industry
Participate in industry guidance, training initiatives, and forums to stay informed and contribute to sector-wide solutions.
Further Resources
This page will continue to evolve as new guidance, data, and tools become available. Training programs, protocols, fact sheets, and upcoming events will be added as they're released.
For support, guidance, or to get involved in VWMA initiatives, contact us below.