‘Fast. Fierce. Fatal.’ – Avon Fire and Rescue highlights dangers of fires from lithium-ion batteries.

Avon Fire and Rescue has today (27 Nov) added its voice to a powerful awareness campaign, ‘Fast. Fierce. Fatal.’, highlighting the dangers of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.

It follows a sharp increase in incidents linked to the batteries found in devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters, phones, laptops and vapes.

In 2023 our firefighters responded to 8 incidents involving lithium-ion batteries. The number rose to 69 in 2024. This year, it already stands at 48.

Now, as Black Friday and Christmas approach, we’re joining forces with fire and rescue services nationwide to drive home some simple messages. Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries can be:

FAST: they can start suddenly, often without warning, and spread within seconds

FIERCE: such fires burn at extreme temperatures. They release toxic fumes and explosive vapours, and can quickly fill a home with flames

FATAL: People have died in such fires, typically with little chance to escape.

Eye-catching designs produced for the campaign by West Midlands Fire Service show common devices on charge. Their batteries or battery packs are glowing, to highlight the importance of buying and charging safely.

The devices include an e-bike and an e-scooter, a vape, drone, mobile phone and remote-controlled car.

Rechargeable devices probably have a lithium-ion battery inside. The risk of a good quality lithium-ion battery failing is very low, but even a well-maintained battery can fail unexpectedly.

Many people don’t realise they already own and use them daily, and that they could be engaging in dangerous purchase, charging and storage behaviours.

Nikki Rice said: “The vast majority of us use lithium-ion batteries and devices safely, but the risks grow as we use them more. ‘Fast. Fierce. Fatal.’ is designed to encourage safe buying, charging and storage. We hope the campaign will reach far and wide and, ultimately, save lives.

“As Black Friday and Christmas approach, we’re asking people to take lots of care when buying gifts – and to make sure devices with lithium-ion batteries are charged safely.

“In the weeks to come we’ll be sharing a range of safety advice on our website and social media channels. We’ll also be working with partner organisations to help get the message to a range of different audiences, including e-bike and e-scooter users.”

Key messages of the Fast. Fierce. Fatal. campaign include:

• always buy devices and chargers from trusted retailers
• use the correct charger and never leave batteries on charge overnight
• charge on a hard, flat surface, away from anything that could burn
• keep escape routes clear – never charge in hallways or on stairs
• never bin batteries; take them to proper recycling points.

Our thanks go to the West Midlands team for their support in providing the materials and assets used in this campaign.