When charging anything powered by a lithium ion battery, you’re best doing it when you’re at home and awake.
That’s the message from not only Surrey Fire Chief Larry Thomas, but from fire safety associations across B.C., Canada and North America.
Most people own devices or equipment powered by such rechargeable batteries, as they’re used in smart phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric bikes and electric scooters, as well as power tools, common gardening equipment and more.
As demand for such products grows, so too, does the number of fires caused by such batteries, with the 2023 B.C. Office of the Fire Commissioner’s annual report showing that rechargeable batteries were the source of 70 fires in British Columbia, leading to $3.4 million in damages and four injuries, but no deaths.
In Vancouver, the city’s website reports that battery fires have continued to trend upward over the past three years, with a…
