A fire erupted in a Northwest DC apartment building on Sunday afternoon, caused by a lithium-ion battery from an electric scooter. According to authorities, the incident took place in the 3700 block of 16th St NW, where D.C. Fire & EMS responded to flames emerging from a third-floor window of the five-story complex, as reported by 7News.
The fire was quickly brought under control and there were no injuries, although the fire department is yet to disclose the number of residents displaced by the blaze, crews were called around 4 p.m. and found flames shooting from the window, and a hazardous materials team was dispatched to secure the batteries, this detailed in a coverage by WUSA9. A DC Fire and EMS spokesperson emphasized the potential spontaneous ignition risks associated with lithium-ion batteries, saying "Lithium ion batteries can ignite spontaneously, even if not being charged. Never leave mobility devices where they can block your escape if they ignite. Never overcharge and always use chargers that came with the device."
Reports of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are on the rise, with WUSA9 previously noting an incident back in February that displaced 23 people. Brett Brenner, President of the Electrical Safety Foundation, stated "So, in general, lithium batteries are not dangerous; the problem is having substandard products get into our supply chain, and that's creating problems." He noted the year-round increase in such incidents, not just during peak times like Christmas.
The Consumer Safety Product Commission's study found that between 2012-2017, there were over 25,000 incidents involving lithium batteries that resulted in overheating or fire hazards. The persistent recurrence of these events underscores an emergent peril in our increasingly battery-reliant society, as reported by DC News Now, which also mentioned the intervention of a hazmat unit to manage the hazardous materials at the Northwest apartment fire scene.
