Lithium ion batteries blamed for 2 SRO fires in Vancouver
Firefighters responded to two fires at single-room occupancy hotels in Vancouver this week, both caused by lithium ion batteries – an increasing concern across the city.
Vancouver Fire Rescue Services said the first blaze broke out Monday night, resulting in smoke and water damage to multiple units of the SRO. The second fire was sparked one day later at another address.
In both cases, authorities said an E-bike with a lithium battery was being charged by a modified or makeshift charger – not the manufacturer's supplied or recommended power source.
"It's creating excessive heating and thermal runaway effects within these batteries, and there's so much energy and potential energy inside them that they will explode," said Capt. Matthew Trudeau. "It looks like fireworks going off, and the effects can be pretty devastating."
Fortunately, sprinkler systems contained both of the fires to individual SRO units until crews could arrive and finish dousing the flames.
Lithium ion batteries have been a growing concern for Vancouver firefighters, who said the city has seen a 500 per cent increase in battery-associated fires since 2016.
Lithium batteries have also been linked to five fire-related deaths so far this year – more than any other fire source.
On June 11, another E-bike exploded at the Hotel Empress in the Downtown Eastside, killing one man who fell from a window.
Trudeau noted the batteries don't need to be improperly charged to pose a potential danger.
"They do have a risk inherent with them," he said. "We've seen battery fires in laptops, in bikes. We've seen them from all kinds of sources – and that's proving to be very challenging, and it's occurring at a fairly high rate."
But the use of modified chargers is particularly risky. Crews have found some chargers with modified wires, or alligator clips attached, so they can power devices they were not intended to charge.
Trudeau said he's currently collecting data on battery-associated fires in the city – including the total damage caused by lithium-powered devices – to better understand how firefighters and the public can reduce the risks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.