A resident of a high-rise building had a portable phone battery catch fire in the elevator. Such cases are not uncommon. What are the consequences of such emergencies, and what should victims do?
Dropped on the Floor
The incident occurred right in the elevator of an apartment building when a young woman was riding to her floor. The space was filled with smoke, and a bag that the passenger had dropped was on fire in the corner. The elevator doors opened, and she managed to escape. A video of the incident spread on social media.
An electronics expert comments on the situation:
- Five to seven years ago, power bank fires were rare. Now, this is a new household risk that should be taken very seriously. The main vulnerability of power banks is that they store a lot of energy in a small device. The primary cause of fires lies in the physicochemical characteristics of lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries,” shared Alexey Varlakov.
According to him, the battery is safe as long as the operating conditions are not violated. Therefore, a manufacturing defect, physical damage: dropping, accidental impact, compression in an overloaded backpack, overheating of the device, or counterfeiting can provoke a power bank fire.
Moreover, damage may not always be visible to the eye. Typically, users should be alerted by swelling of the casing, rapid heating during operation, or a chemical smell. Experts advise checking the casing for swelling, not leaving charging devices unattended overnight, and disposing of power banks separately from household waste.
But if a fire does occur, it is important to know that power banks burn differently than ordinary items.
“Lithium must never be extinguished with water. It can be extinguished with a fire extinguisher, but only a powder (class ABC) or carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguisher. You should cover the device with a dense fabric or bury it in soil; if smoke starts, urgently open a window, as the smoke is toxic. A fire can be prevented if swelling is noticed in time, and one should not heat or skimp when purchasing the device,” summarizes Alexey Varlakov.
Due to the increasing frequency of such incidents, last year more than ten airlines banned carrying power banks in luggage.
