Education
The Rise of Lithium-Ion Battery Fires
Published on 04 Nov 2025
Lithium-ion batteries power our modern world, from e-scooters and smartphones to EV and large-scale energy-storage systems. But with that rapid growth comes a serious and growing fire risk. Globally, lithium-ion battery fire incidents have surged. Recent statistics have reported a 46 % increase in lithium-ion battery fires in the UK between 2022 and 2023 [Fire Statistics]. In Singapore, a report found battery fires (including e-bike batteries) accounted for about 52.7% of all battery-related fires between 2008–2015. [SCDF]
These aren’t typical fires. A lithium-ion battery fire can generate extreme heat, release toxic gases and keep re-igniting long after the initial flame is under control. That means your facility’s fire safety plan must evolve and conventional protection may no longer suffice.
Why Lithium-Ion Fires Are So Different
Unlike ordinary fires, lithium-ion battery fires behave in ways that make them extremely difficult to control. When a battery cell is damaged, overcharged, or exposed to heat, it can enter a process known as thermal runaway. This is a chain reaction where heat builds up faster than it can escape, causing the cell to vent flammable gases and ignite.
Once this happens, the temperature can rise to over 1,000°C, and the fire can spread rapidly to neighbouring cells, even after the visible flames are extinguished. Traditional fire agents such as CO₂ or dry powder often struggle to stop this reaction completely, which means the battery can re-ignite multiple times even after several hours later.
To make matters worse, Lit-ion fires also release toxic gases like hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide, creating additional hazards for responders and occupants. The combination of extreme heat, re-ignition risk, and toxic emissions makes these fires unlike anything conventional extinguishers were designed to handle.
What Asiatic Is Doing About It
At Asiatic Fire System, we are constantly investing in new technologies and specialised products designed to tackle modern fire challenges which includes the growing threat of lithium-ion battery fires. We are proud to now offer a wide range of Lithium-Ion Fire Protection Products, built to handle incidents from small electronics such as mobile phones and laptops to larger applications like EV vehicles and energy storage systems.
Our latest innovation features a dual-action system that both cools and coats the affected battery cells. This approach isolates and cools the heat source by creating a fire break while preventing re-ignition.
Beyond performance, we’ve designed these solutions with sustainability in mind. The extinguisher uses an environmentally friendly, non-toxic agent, while the fire blanket is reusable and engineered to contain fires with minimal use of water or chemicals. This helps reduce waste, clean-up effort, and collateral damage during emergency response.
Moving Forward Safely
We understand that adapting to new fire risks isn’t always straightforward. It takes planning, investment, and the right technology to stay protected. That’s why our goal at Asiatic Fire System is simple: to educate and make that process easier for you.
Our priority has always been to ensure that every product we deliver works flawlessly when it matters most now more than ever. With our lithium-ion fire protection equipment range, we’re here to help you stay prepared, and confident in your safety systems.
If you’d like to learn more or discuss how these solutions can fit into your facility, reach out to us today. Our team will be happy to arrange a free consultation to assess your needs, share insights, and guide you towards the right protection for your environment.