UK firefighters called to one lithium-ion battery fire every five hours

FoI responses collected by insurer show brigades tackled 1,760 battery-linked fires in 2025, up 147% in three years

Fire brigades across the UK are tackling lithium-ion battery fires at a rate of one every five hours, figures show, as fire chiefs warn that public awareness and government regulation have not kept pace with the ubiquity of this new hazard.

Lithium-ion batteries power most rechargeable devices including mobile phones, electric toothbrushes, toys and vapes, as well as ebikes, e-scooters and electric vehicles.

Data gathered by the global business insurer QBE via freedom of information requests reveals that fire brigades were called to 1,760 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in 2025, equating to 4.8 fires a day, an increase of 147% over the past three years.

Electric vehicle fires rose by 133% over the same period, while the number of electric vehicles on UK roads tripled during that time.

QBE researchers found that ebike fires made up nearly a third of all lithium-ion battery fires nationally and noted that retrofitted and converted ebikes appeared to be disproportionately involved compared with certified models.

There were 520 callouts to fires involving ebikes in 2025, compared with 149 in 2022. London fire brigade (LFB) tackled 44% of these, with 230 ebike fires occurring in the capital last year and five related fatalities in the past three years.

LFB’s deputy commissioner for prevention, Spencer Sutcliff, said the brigade remained “extremely concerned” about ebike and e-scooter fires, and public awareness was vital.

“We believe regulation can help improve product safety and reduce the chance of consumers being exposed on online marketplaces to faulty or counterfeit products such as ebike batteries, chargers and conversion kits,” he said.

A blaze that devastated a historic building in Glasgow and resulted in the two-week closure of Central station, Scotland’s largest rail interchange, is believed to have started in a shop selling vapes, which are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

If used incorrectly or damaged, these batteries can cause a hazard called thermal runaway, a dangerous chain reaction where the temperature inside the battery rises uncontrollably, producing a toxic gas that vents at high pressure, creating a flame like a blowtorch, and exploding.

Collating data received from 46 out of 52 fire brigades contacted across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, QBE researchers also found that nearly half (46%) of all lithium-ion fires took place in people’s homes.

Incorrect disposal of these batteries – which should not be thrown in an ordinary bin but can be recycled via bins at many supermarkets – has resulted in serious fires in bin lorries and at recycling plants across the UK, the cost of which is now estimated annually at more than £1bn, as well as causing injuries to staff.

Adrian Simmonds, a risk manager at QBE Insurance, urged individuals and businesses to take action to manage the growing risk.

“Thermal runaway caused by these types of batteries burns differently, takes much longer to tackle and can require up to 10 times more water to contain,” he said. “Awareness of safe charging, storage and disposal is essential to keeping people and property safe. People should use only certified ebikes and batteries, charge them away from escape routes and avoid charging items overnight.”

A National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) spokesperson said the findings reflected what fire and rescue services were seeing on the ground.

“We are especially concerned about fires involving poorly manufactured, modified or converted ebikes, which continue to account for a disproportionate number of incidents. Many of these fires occur in people’s homes and people have tragically died as a result,” the spokesperson said.

“NFCC is working with fire and rescue services, government and partners to improve research, guidance and public awareness, but this is a rapidly evolving area where regulation and guidance have not kept pace with technology. We believe stronger action is needed to ensure industry takes responsibility for product safety and that clear, consistent guidance is available to protect lives and reduce fires.”

The Fire Brigades Union said services across the UK required investment to train and equip firefighters responding to emerging risks, in particular the toxic gases produced by lithium-ion battery fires, which could create long-term health risks for firefighters and the public.