GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Fire Department is warning residents about an increase in battery fires from e-scooters, electric bikes and other devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. In one month, GRFD has responded to three battery fires.
Part of the challenge is that it takes crews longer to put battery fires completely out and the fires release a toxic smoke.
"We had three within a month," Grand Rapids Fire Marshall Captain Bill Smith said.
One fire happened inside a home after a personal scooter caught fire despite having no known issues or recalls.
"We did research. It didn't have anything that popped out to us that signaled it was an issue. There was no recalls that we could find. He had had it for about three years," Smith added.
Another incident involved a Lime scooter following an accident. GR Mobile explains that "Lime has vigorous safety testing and regulation of the batteries."
Smith advises extreme caution around these devices in confined spaces.
"If I'm in an elevator going somewhere in a high rise, and somebody enters that elevator with one of these micro mobility devices I'm getting off that elevator. It's just it's unsafe to have them in a compartmentalized area like that," Smith said.
GRFD recommends the following safety tips for battery use and storage:
- Use only manufacturer-approved chargers.
- Avoid mixing components from different brands.
- Charge devices in ventilated areas, away from flammable materials.
- Never charge or store devices near exits or escape routes.
- Unplug once fully charged and avoid overcharging.
- Do not charge or use damaged batteries showing swelling, overheating or unusual odors.
- Store devices at room temperature and away from direct sunlight.
"These fires present unique challenges," Grand Rapids Fire Department Assistant Chief Keith Borrson said.
To better prepare for these calls, four Grand Rapids firefighters traveled to New York City to learn from NYFD which has extensive experience handling battery fires.
"They're dealing with multiple calls like this every day, and they are at the forefront of this response," Witteveen said.
The department is now using some everyday household tools and specialized material to address these fires.
"The company that we're using here, this cell block, that material is a really fine… like the styrofoam beads, and that just absorbs that heat, adsorbs the the toxic gasses," Witteveen said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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