Firefighters are urging the public to take extra care when charging electronic devices after a house fire in Chichester was linked to lithium-ion batteries left charging while unattended.
Emergency services were called to a property in St Andrews Close, Oving, on Sunday, 20 July, following reports of a fire in a converted loft space. The homeowner had gone out, leaving batteries on charge, which subsequently overheated and ignited.
“Leaving batteries and devices on charge while unattended is extremely dangerous and can start a fire. Thankfully, this property had working smoke alarms, which alerted neighbours and enabled a quick response.”
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He advised residents to turn off electrical items when not in use, especially when leaving home, and to avoid charging devices overnight.
Station Manager Darren Wickings, Chair of the lithium-ion battery safety group LIBERATE, also issued key safety advice:
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“Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in items like mobile phones, laptops, tablets, e-cigarettes, e-scooters and e-bikes. They are safe in normal use but can be hazardous if overcharged, damaged, or used with incorrect chargers.”
He added that batteries should always be:
Charged on flat, solid surfaces
Monitored while charging
Unplugged once fully charged
Large devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters should never be charged in hallways or escape routes in case of fire.
The LIBERATE group, made up of 162 members from fire services and waste organisations, promotes awareness and shares best practices around lithium-ion battery safety.
