UK fire brigades are attending a lithium-ion battery fire every five hours, according to data from the global business insurer QBE, as fire chiefs warn that the technology powering everything from mobile phones to electric cars has outpaced safety regulation and public awareness.
Figures obtained by QBE through freedom of information requests reveal that fire services were called to 1,760 fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in 2025, an average of 4.8 incidents per day. This marks a 147% increase over the past three years. Nearly half of all such fires — 46% — occurred in people’s homes, based on data from 46 of the 52 fire brigades that responded across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Electric vehicle fires rose by 133% over the same period, while the number of electric vehicles on UK roads tripled. E-bike fires now account for nearly a third of all lithium-ion battery fires nationally, with 520 callouts in 2025 compared to 149 in 2022. Retrofitted and converted e-bikes appear to be disproportionately involved compared with certified models.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) tackled 44% of all e-bike fires, with 230 occurring in the capital last year. LFB recorded 522 lithium-ion battery fires in 2025 — the highest number of any UK fire service. In the year to January 2026, e-bikes and e-scooters were linked to 283 out of 565 lithium battery fires in London, representing more than half. Five fatalities have been linked to e-bike and e-scooter fires in London over the past three years. Elsewhere, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service reported 126 lithium-ion battery fires, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service reported 117 in 2025.
Incorrect disposal has caused serious fires in bin lorries and recycling plants, with the annual cost now estimated at more than £1 billion, as well as injuries to staff. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) recorded over 1,200 battery-related fires in waste facilities or collection vehicles between 2023 and 2024, a 71% rise on the previous year. Insurance claims for such fires have ranged up to £20 million, according to Zurich UK, and replacing a damaged bin lorry can cost around £250,000.
The Science of the Danger: Thermal Runaway
If used incorrectly or damaged, lithium-ion batteries can cause a hazard called thermal runaway — a dangerous chain reaction where the temperature inside the battery rises uncontrollably. The process is triggered by factors including mechanical damage from impact or dropping, overcharging with incorrect chargers, exposure to external heat sources, manufacturing defects, or the use of non-certified or counterfeit products, including DIY conversion kits.
Once thermal runaway begins, the battery produces toxic gas that vents at high pressure, creating a blowtorch-like flame and potentially causing explosions. Adrian Simmonds, a risk manager at QBE Insurance, said these fires burn differently: “Thermal runaway caused by these types of batteries burns differently, takes much longer to tackle and can require up to 10 times more water to contain.” The Fire Brigades Union has warned that the toxic gases produced by such fires could create long-term health risks for firefighters and the public, and has called for investment to train and equip crews responding to these emerging risks.
Two recent incidents illustrate the danger. In March 2025, a fire in Hither Green, Lewisham, caused by an e-scooter battery failure blocked an escape route, forcing residents to jump from a window. In June 2025, a fire in Southwark was caused by the failure of a lithium-ion battery in a converted e-bike. A blaze that devastated a historic building in Glasgow and resulted in the two-week closure of Central station, Scotland’s largest rail interchange, is believed to have started in a shop selling vapes powered by lithium-ion batteries. Nationally, at least 10 fatalities occurred in fires started by e-bikes or e-scooters in 2023, while 11 people died from lithium battery fires overall that year.
Calls for Regulation and Safer Practices
LFB’s deputy commissioner for prevention, Spencer Sutcliff, said the brigade remained “extremely concerned” about e-bike and e-scooter fires: “We believe regulation can help improve product safety and reduce the chance of consumers being exposed on online marketplaces to faulty or counterfeit products such as ebike batteries, chargers and conversion kits.” Some vendors have been found selling counterfeit batteries made from repurposed vape cells. Converting pedal bikes into e-bikes using DIY kits bought online is considered very dangerous.
The NFCC spokesperson said the findings reflected what fire and rescue services were seeing on the ground: “We are especially concerned about fires involving poorly manufactured, modified or converted ebikes, which continue to account for a disproportionate number of incidents. Many of these fires occur in people’s homes and people have tragically died as a result.” The NFCC added that it is working with government and partners but that “regulation and guidance have not kept pace with technology” and stronger action is needed to ensure industry takes responsibility for product safety.
The UK government has been reviewing battery storage, transport and recycling. The Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Bill aims to introduce stricter rules on labelling, storage and fire-safe disposal, with changes expected between 2025 and 2026. In December 2024, new statutory guidelines were issued for e-bike batteries requiring mechanisms to prevent thermal runaway. The UK Product Regulation and Metrology Act, effective July 2025, makes lithium-ion batteries a “priority product” with new legal duties for online marketplaces.
Adrian Simmonds urged individuals and businesses to act: “Awareness of safe charging, storage and disposal is essential. People should use only certified ebikes and batteries, charge them away from escape routes and avoid charging items overnight.” Batteries should be stored in cool, dry environments, protected from physical damage, with terminals isolated. Only the original charger provided with the device should be used. Lithium-ion batteries must never be thrown in ordinary bins; they are classified as hazardous waste and can be recycled via designated bins at many supermarkets or recycling centres. Retailers are required to provide collection points, and manufacturers finance the collection, treatment and recycling of waste batteries. Larger batteries, such as those in e-bikes, are classified as dangerous goods and require special handling at household waste recycling centres.
A bin lorry fire in North Warwickshire in January 2026, caused by a battery discarded in a household bin, permanently damaged the vehicle. The NFCC recorded over 1,200 battery-related fires in waste facilities or collection vehicles between 2023 and 2024, a 71% rise on the previous year. The Fire Brigades Union said services across the UK required investment to train and equip firefighters responding to emerging risks, in particular the toxic gases produced by lithium-ion battery fires, which could create long-term health risks for firefighters and the public.
