Three fires resulting from lithium-ion batteries have the Toronto Fire Service cautioning about the dangers that can come from the devices, especially if you tamper with them.
Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop posted on X on Tuesday that crews had responded to three separate fires in the past 24 hours.
Division Chief Marla Friebe said in an interview three in one day is “concerning.”
“It is concerning,” Friebe said. “We’re seeing that year-over-year rise in fires that is alarming to us.”
According to the Toronto Fire Service, there have been 18 lithium-ion battery incidents between Jan. 1 and Feb. 23 this year, compared to six in the same time period in 2025.
There were a total of 90 fires responded to in 2025, an 18 per cent increase from the 76 seen a year earlier. However, 2025’s number is a 63 per cent increase compared to 2023 and a 210 per cent rise from 2022.
Friebe said micromobility devices such as e-bikes, e-scooters and e-hoverboards are involved in the bulk of the lithium-ion battery fires they’re seeing.
But she added that a cause of this is due to users of these devices not buying compatible parts, using chargers that are not necessarily recommended by the manufacturers, or overcharging the devices.
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“So people bringing their batteries into their apartments or homes (and) charging and those batteries aren’t being monitored,” Friebe said. “Those potentially unstable batteries that are maybe not of such high quality are being overcharged and they don’t stop charging on their own. So there’s a buildup of heat and the heat can’t dissipate and, generally speaking, what happens is the battery goes into what we call thermal runaway.”
She said “thermal runaway” is a chemical chain reaction that produces interior heat and hissing. The batteries can also bulge.
“With extreme cases, you’re getting smoke, fire, and explosions, and once a battery enters that state, there’s no stopping it,” she said.
Another factor coming into play with micromobility devices, Friebe said, is that some people are tampering with the batteries to either lengthen the power charge, boost the power, or increase the speed of the device.
Lithium-ion batteries can be found in various everyday items, from smartphones and laptops to toothbrushes and toys.
The Toronto Fire Service stresses the batteries are generally safe but can become dangerous if they are damaged, tampered with or improperly charged.
Things to look out for include an unusual, almost plastic odour, smoke coming from the device and the item beginning to heat up to an “extreme” degree.
Given the dangers surrounding the device, people should ensure when they dispose of the items, they do so properly by taking them to an approved disposal site and not tossing them in the garbage.
While the service is cautioning about the dangers, Friebe reiterated most devices with these batteries can be safe and it’s about taking proper precautions.
This means buying a device with a certified battery that’s been tested for use in Canada, and always using approved charging devices, even if it is an extra cost. As well, she said to be sure to charge in an appropriate environment with a stable temperature, as they can be susceptible to hot and cold temperatures.
“I don’t want people to feel like just because they have a lithium-ion battery that they’re vulnerable,” Friebe said. “Most batteries are built to a higher quality. It is really those batteries that are built through a lesser standard that we’re concerned about.”
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